2 soldiers, militiaman slain in NPA attacks

MANILA, Philippines – An Army trooper and a member of a government militia were killed, while another soldier was wounded when suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas attacked a road project in Labo, Camarines Norte on Saturday night.

In the morning of the same day, another Army trooper was killed in an ambush by suspected NPA guerrillas in Libmanan, Camarines Sur.

Pvt. Reymark Regore and militiaman Anthony Aceron were securing a bridge in Barangay Daguit, Labo when the rebels shot them at around 11 p.m., triggering a firefight.

Maj. Angelo Guzman, spokesman for the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom), said Pfc. Jhelor Caranzo was wounded in the encounter that lasted an hour.

Regore and Caranzo belong to the Army’s 49th Infantry Battalion (IB).

The insurgents fled, taking with them the rifles of the soldiers.

Guzman said extortion could be the motive for the attack.

Lt. Col. Medel Aguilar, chief of the 49th IB, said the encounter resulted in the temporary closure of the road, due to explosives planted by the rebels.

Soldiers were able to clear the highway and defuse the explosives by 6 a.m. yesterday.

Solcom chief Lt. Gen. Ricardo Visaya hailed the soldiers for preventing the guerrillas from destroying the bridge.

Meanwhile, Pfc. Ednhol Rey Caceres of the 42nd IB was shot dead as he was walking toward a market in Barangay San Isidro, Libmanan.

Caceres died at the scene from gunshots to the head and back, officials said yesterday.

The rebels fled taking with them the victim’s rifle.

The attack occurred 500 meters away from an Army temporary patrol base.

Caceres was part of a team tasked to secure a government road project in the area. – With Francis Elevado