Friday, August 8, 2008

3 soldiers killed in Kalinga ambush identified

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Police on Friday said the three soldiers who were killed in a rebel ambush in the hinterlands of Kalinga province last Wednesday have been identified.

A report by the Kalinga police to Camp Dangwa, headquarters of the regional police force in La Trinidad, identified the victims as SSgt. Ci-o, Sgt. Galimba and Pfc. Toribio, all of the Philippine Army’s 21st Infantry Battalion.

The three were killed during a clash with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at about 4 p.m. last Wednesday at the remote sitio of Lagwak in barangay Limos in Pinukpuk town.

Chief Inspector Joe Baday, chief of police in Pinukpuk, reported that the soldiers were on their way to Pinukpuk from barangay Poswoy in neighboring Balbalan town when they were ambushed. Baday’s report did not name the army soldier who was wounded.

It was unclear if the NPAs who staged the ambush are the same group that bombed a Globe telecommunications tower in barangay Pakawit, also in Pinukpuk, last July 27.

Police said the rebel who was hacked to death by a villager during the cellsite bombing was from barangay Balantoy in Balbalan, which is close to Poswoy village.

The Wednesday ambush came amid President Arroyo’s two-day furlough in Apayao province and Tuguegarao City where she was presented with developmental action plans for Cagayan Valley formulated by the participants to the first-ever local peace and security assembly.

In the meeting, Mrs. Arroyo called on local, military and police officials in the region to “crush the rebels once and for all because they are trying to impede the growth of our country." - GMANews.TV
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