3 Marine soldiers killed in ambush allegedly by NPA in Palawan

By Ronron
December 16, 2007

Three Marine soldiers were killed in an ambush early Sunday morning by suspected communist rebels in Palawan province, military and police officials said.

Lt. Col. Jonas Lumawag, spokesman of the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC), said in a phone interview yesterday that the victims were members of the 9th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) who were on an administrative mission, particularly to buy food supplies at the market.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, in a separate interview, noted that the incident happened on the first day of their three-week Suspension of Offensive Military Operations (SOMO) against the New People’s Army (NPA).

Lumawag said the Marine elements were just on foot, without arms, and in civilian clothes when attacked by at most 20 suspected NPA rebels under the command of Gilbert Silagan, alias Ka Hadji, at Sitio Cauban, Barangay Binga, San Vicente town.

The Marines came from their detachment camp at said village.

“Apparently, the NPA did not follow/heed the SOMO declaration by the government,” Region IV-B Police Director Chief Supt. Louie Palmera said in a text message.

The communist movement has yet to reciprocate the SOMO declaration of the government.

Bacarro refused to disclose the identities of the slain soldiers because their next of kin have yet to be informed, but he said they are enlisted personnel.

While he assured that the SOMO will stand, Bacarro said pursuit operations will be launched against the perpetrators as a matter of law enforcement.

“Actions that would fall under law enforcement such as running after the perpetrators can be initiated, and actions falling under our inherent right to self-defense will be undertaken,” he said in a text message.

Palmera said he already instructed the Provincial Police Mobile Group to assist the Marines in conducting hot pursuit operations against the group of Silagan.

At the same time, scene of the crime operatives were sent to the ambush site to gather evidence for filing of possible charges against the perpetrators, said Lumawag.

The 6,300-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for almost four decades now.

Peace talks between the movement and the government bogged down in August 2004 after the former backed out due to their inclusion in the terrorist list of foreign governments.

The Arroyo government has vowed to render the insurgents insignificant by 2010./DMS