NPA Attack Wounds A 3-Year Old Boy

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – Heavily armed NPA rebels harassed the troops of the 49th Infantry Battalion in Bgy Bato, Bacon District, Sorsogon City on 09 February 2010 at around 4:45pm, an Army official said here today.

Major Harold Cabunoc, the 9ID Spokesman, said that more or less 5 NPA bandits positioned themselves about 100m from the harboring area of the 9-man Army squad led by Cpl Reynaldo Rivera and opened fire at the troops.

A five-minute firefight ensued with the NPA rebels firing heavy caliber rifles including M203 Grenade Launchers at the defending soldiers. No one was hurt among the Army troopers but a 3-year old boy identified as a Rodel Ebio was hit by M203 High Explosives shrapnel in his left foot. He was immediately brought by the soldiers to the nearest hospital.

The CPP-NPA-NDF has stepped up its small-scale attacks and murder of 9ID personnel with the fast approaching local and national elections.

On February 7, 2010 (Sunday), a militiaman identified as CAA Pedro Rodriguez, 33yrs old was murdered by two suspected NPA-SPARU (Special Partisan Unit) members while on off-duty status at his home in Bgy Guruyan, Juban, Sorsogon.
Then on January 29, 2010, a soldier and a CAFGU companion survived the ambush staged by NPA rebels in Sitio Salvacion, Bgy Gurang-gurang, Donsol, Sorsogon. An NPA bandit was killed when the wounded soldier fought back the numerically superior attackers with his Caliber .45 pistol.

In a radio interview, Major Cabunoc said, “The CPP-NPA-NDF terrorists are intensifying its harassments and murderous killing spree on our unarmed personnel to project their strength and terrorize the people. This is their strategy to sow fear and effectively impose their money-making racket of extorting money from businessmen and politicians”.

Major General Ruperto Pabustan, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division, directed the 49th Infantry Battalion to conduct continuous security operations in remote baranggays to discourage politicians from giving extortion money to the NPA bandits.

PNP Personnel Ambushed By Suspected NPA Terrorists

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – Members of the PNP Special Action Force led by PSI Banderado were ambushed by suspected CPP-NPA-NDF along the national highway at Bgy Bading, Uson, Masbate, at around 1:45pm on 07 February 2010, an Army officer said here today.

Quoting a report from STF Masbate, Major Harold Cabunoc, Spokesperson of the 9th Infantry Division, said that the PNP personnel were on board a Toyota Hilux police vehicle with plate number SHS 687 when improvised explosive devices were detonated by suspected NPA terrorists. The explosion injured PO1 Ronnel Rodriguez who was hit by shrapnel debris on his left leg, and PO1 Michael Sauro who slightly injured his eyes due to the blast. Both PNP personnel are now in stable condition after being treated in a local hospital.

Troops of the 9th Infantry Battalion under LTC Anthony Purugganan quickly launched a joint pursuit operations with the PNP SAF under PSI Decena in the said area.

In January of this year, two separate ambuscades were also staged by suspected members of the NPA bandits against the 9th Infantry Battalion in Mobo, Masbate during which 4 Army soldiers were injured and the ambush on PNP personnel in Esperanza town which destroyed the PNP vehicle.

In an unrelated incident, a COMELEC checkpoint manned by PNP personnel led by PI Rodolfo Oliver Jr and PCI Roderick Campo, apprehended suspected PAG members at about 7:45pm on 07 Feb 2010 in Bgy San Roque Poblacion, Nabua, Camarines Sur. The suspected PAG members were identified as Gilbert Osea, 56 yrs old of San Rafael, Bato, Cam Sur; and Marlo Nieva y Francia,39yrs old of Bgy Tres Reyes, Bato, Cam Sur. They were on board a Starex van with plate number BDS 485 when they were stopped by policemen who noticed their unusual behavior. Recovered were a Cal 45 pistol with SN 735145, 1 Colt Cal 45 MKIV with SN 758391 and several rounds of live ammunition.

The duo are now in the custody of the PNP as appropriate charges are filed against them in the local courts.

Communist Terrorists Step up Attacks In Bicol Region

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – Members of the local terrorist group step up attacks on government personnel and development project implementers on 07 February 2010, an Army officer said.

At around 7am today, (Sunday), a militiaman identified as CAA Pedro Rodriguez, 33yrs old was murdered, by two suspected NPA-SPARU (Special Partisan Unit) members while on off-duty status at his home in Bgy Guruyan, Juban, Sorsogon.
Rodriguez’s cousin, identified as a certain Ronald Rodriquez, was also wounded in his left leg by stray bullets during the shooting incident. Rodriquez is the second militiaman to be killed after the murder of CAA Elmer Eusebio who was killed in front of his family members in Bgy Sta Cruz, Pandan, Catanduanes on 01 February 2010.

In December 2009, a policeman identified as PO1 Dungo and Pfc Romeo Daza were also murdered in Masbate and Camarines Sur provinces respectively.

In a separate incident, heavy equipment of Gigi Construction Company, used in the construction of a road project in Bgy Pangiranan, Balud, Masbate was bombed by more or less 10 heavily armed members of the local terrorist group at 5:45am today.

The construction heavy equipment, a backhoe and loader, were rigged with improvised explosive devices were partially destroyed by the explosion. The owner of the construction firm refused to pay extortion money demanded by the CPP-NPA-NDF.

MGen Ruperto Pabustan, 9ID Commander, urged all private contractors to coordinate closely with military authorities in their respective areas to ensure that all development projects are protected by the Philippine Army. “This is the only way that we can ensure that flagship projects of the government will be fast tracked for the benefit of the people.”, Pabustan said.

“The 9th Infantry Division strongly condemns the continuous murder of our soldiers and paramilitary forces who are helping in the various peace and development projects in Bicol Region.”, Major Harold Cabunoc said in a radio interview. “These atrocities are intended to sow fear among the people especially businessmen and politicians who are their sources of extortion money. Pera-pera na lang ang mga bandido na yan.”, Cabunoc added.

9ID Troopers Score Against Communist Terrorists

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – Army soldiers scored against the local terrorist group in Bicol Region yesterday, 03 February 2010, an Army officer said.

Major Harold Cabunoc, 9ID Spokesperson, said two (2) rebels surrendered to the 42nd Infantry Battalion, PA, based in Nabua, Camarines Sur yesterday at 9:00 o’clock in the morning. The two rebels were identified as Jolito Caneso y Andoy, 33 years old, the vice commander of Milisya ng Bayan in Bgy San Francisco, Bula, Camarines Sur and his brother identified as Benjamin Caneso, 34 years old.

The two surrenderees revealed that they were the couriers/collectors of the CPP-NPA-NDF’s revolutionary taxation in the said locality. They claimed to be working for a certain Vicente Avocado, a ranking member of the local terrorist group.

The Caneso brothers claimed that they were already fed up by the infighting among their leaders fueled by the unsettled differences over the distribution of their tax collections. “It is only our ranking leaders who get the huge sum of our monthly earnings from the revolutionary tax collection.”, Jolito Caneso said. “We are already ashamed to feed our family members with the money coming from the poor farmers in our village.”, said Benjamin. The brothers are now undergoing custodial debriefing at Headquarters 42nd Infantry Battalion.

Meanwhile in Catanduanes, intelligence operatives of the 83rd Infantry Battalion under LtCol Romeo Basco captured a certain Victor Espiritu, 27yrs old, the squad leader of RYO5, in Bgy Tariwara, Pandan, Catanduanes. Espiritu admitted that he was among the NPA bandits who ambushed unarmed members of 31st IB while buying provisions in the public market of Ragay, Camarines Sur early last year (2009). The said ambush claimed the lives of three soldiers identified as Pfc Caronan, Pfc Bagao and Pfc Caitor.

Espiritu is now undergoing tactical interrogation at Headquarters 83rd Infantry Battalion. He was accompanied by his mother and the baranggay councilman of Pandan municipality.

These latest accomplishments are considered a big blow to the local communist movement in Bicol Region.

TF Masbate Scores Against PAGs

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – PNP personnel of TF Masbate encountered members of partisan armed groups (PAGs) in Pio V, Cruz, Masbate on 29 January 2010 at 4pm, a military officer here announced today.

Major Harold Cabunoc, 9ID Spokesperson, quoting the report from P/SUPT Eddie Benigay, Provincial Director of PNP Masbate, said that combined elements of TF Masbate, composed of Masbate PPO personnel, Esperanza MPS, Special Action Force under P/Insp Ronald Pascua and Provincial Public Safety Management Company, encountered heavily armed group led by a certain Gerry Solasco in Bgy Pio V. Cruz, Esperanza, Masbate at around 4pm on 29 January 2010.

Sensing the presence of the PNP troopers, the PAG members quickly opened fire. A brief firefight ensued after which the armed men retreated towards various directions leaving behind some of their members and their firearms. The PAG members used some residents as human shields when they fled.

Recovered in the scene were one (1) M16 Rifle SN 3402686, one Cal .356 revolver, one cal .38 revolver and several rounds of ammunitions. Seven suspected PAG members were also apprehended. They were identified as Ambrosio Auman y Bua, 52; Gilbert Auman y Cuntapay, 28; Rolalito Arabis y Solasco, 31; Rolly Gallarde y Gulpan, 29; Charlito Rotano Y Quisinio 52; Bonifacio Auman y Bua, 53, Rey Buhia y Pepito, 32yrs old. The apprehended persons are now detained by the PNP Masbate pending the filing of criminal charges against them.

Gerry Solasco’s group were suspected to be behind the killing of Ali Aransado, ABC President of Esperanza, who was killed in an ambush in January 20,2010.

The latest accomplishment is a product of the synergized efforts of the PNP and Philippine Army personnel who composed Task Force Masbate which is tasked to dismantle all PAGs in the said province.