2 troopers killed, 3 hurt in Samar ambush

CATBALOGAN CITY, Philippines – Two Army troopers were killed while three others including an officer were wounded in an ambush by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in this city on Friday night.

Cpls. Christopher Joey Campos and Chelito Edera died at the scene. Wounded were 1/Lt. Cherwin Lapura and Pvts. Rey Calabroso and Jack Macatantan.

The wounded were rushed to a military hospital at Camp Lukban in this city for treatment.

The troopers were in a military vehicle when they hit an improvised explosive device (IED) believed planted by the rebels along the highway in Barangay Lagundi at around 7:30 p.m.

The explosion was followed by gunfires from the rebels positioned in both sides of the highway, according to Inspector Romuel Nacar of the Police Regional Office 8.

Reports said the rebels carted away the soldiers’ firearms and P1.8 million in subsistence allowance for the Army’s 14th Infantry Battalion, where the troopers were detailed.

Officials of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division have yet to confirm the report.

The ambush site is located more than two kilometers south of Catbalogan City, home of the Samar police provincial office and 8th ID, which earlier declared the area insurgency free.

Last week, a soldier was killed in a similar attack in a town in Northern Samar.