Army chief relieved over NPA attacks

DAVAO CITY — The commanding officer of the Army’s 701st Infantry Brigade based in Mawab, Compostela Valley was unceremoniously relieved from his post over the weekend following the death of seven soldiers and the wounding of six others in an ambush last Thursday by New People’s Army rebels in Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

The sudden relief of Col. Pedro Curva was ordered immediately after the Talaingod incident wherein the 45 government troops belonging to the 72nd Infantry Battalion, were conducting a routine patrol in Barangay Sto. Niño and a band of 80 communist guerrillas opened fire on them. Aside from suffering heavy casualties, the military also lost several high-powered firearms and ammunitions as well as vital communication gadgets and at least 20 backpacks in the said ambush.

Maj. Gen. Alberto Braganza, commanding general of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division signed the relief order that also named who would take Curva’s place.

Curva reportedly received the relief order last Saturday that had him leaving his post the following day even without the usual formal turn-over rites as his successor, Col. Rodolfo Obaniana immediately took over on the same day after his relief.

Sources said the Talaingo incident was the last straw that broke Curva’s stint as 701st Brigade commander as there were previous incidents in the last 10 months.