4 soldiers dead in Davao ambush

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – At least four soldiers were killed by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in an ambush Sunday night in the hinterlands of Sitio Cinco, Barangay Mapula, Paquibato district in this city.

Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, 10th Infantry Division spokesman, said the soldiers were returning to their base from a trip to a local market, when they were gunned down by at least 10 NPA guerrillas at around 5:30 p.m.

“The soldiers were in civilian clothes and were unarmed,” Paniza said.

Paniza identified the casualties as Pfcs. Ahian Vir Dolero, Marvin Lauronal and Noel  Sigan, who died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds.

Regional military spokeswoman Maj. Rosa Maria Cristina Manuel said the rebels dragged another soldier to a rice field and fatally shot him. Troops found his body yesterday, she said.

The soldier was identified as Pvt. Marcelo Himaya.

“Army soldiers were deployed to rescue him because we thought they would just hold him. But they apparently executed him in the field,” Manuel said.

Paniza said the soldiers  were members of an Army unit engaged in humanitarian activities in remote villages on the fringes of Davao.

 Chief government negotiator Alexander Padilla warned the attack would hurt efforts to resume peace talks with NPA rebels.

“This will impact on the sentiments going forward in the peace process,” Padilla said.

Peace talks were due to have resumed in Norway last month. But Padilla said they were called off because of the rebels’ long-standing condition that, before negotiations resume, 18 jailed comrades must be released.

He said the ambush appeared to be part of a fresh offensive by the rebels to pressure the government into giving into releasing the jailed communist leaders.

But the government has long refused to release them, and Padilla said it was “unlikely” that talks with the rebels would resume this year.– With Jaime Laude, AP, AFP