NPA ambush tribal leaders in Davao City, 2 dead, 4 injured

August 10, 2010, 06:22:33 AM by eaglei in Pubic Affairs, G7, 10ID.

Camp Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City, August 6, 2010 – New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists ambushed a group of Lumads (Indigenous People) and tribal leaders resulting to two dead and four wounded in Sitio (sub-village) Marugasan in the village of Colosas in Paquibato District, Davao City 10:00 AM Friday.

The group of tribal leaders led by Datu Ruben Labawan of the Davao Supreme Tribal Council for Peace and Development (STCPD) were travelling on board motorcycles to attend an Indigenous Peoples’ (IP) forum and tribal leaders’ convention when they were waylaid by about 20 armed NPAs.
 
Four civilians were wounded when NPA terrorists suddenly rained bullets on the group. Two soldier-escorts of the group valiantly fought back but were overpowered and killed in the process.
 
The two killed soldiers who are Lumads themselves were identified as Pfc. Elansio Alonsagay and Pfc. Kimpio Labawan while the wounded civilians were Johry Abolorio, Gloria Alarao, Aliberto Libayao, Enecencio Dangkay.
 
Labawan, a staunch defender of IP rights miraculously survived unscathed.
 
Tribal leaders, target of assassination
 
Tribal groups present in the IP forum believe, Labawan was the target as many other tribal leaders have been in the past.
 
The ambush was deplored by Brig. Gen. Eduardo del Rosario, Commander of the Army’s 1003rd Infantry Brigade saying, “Tribal leaders in Southern Mindanao fighting for the rights of their people are the usual targets for assassination of the NPA. This is a deplorable act and must be condemned by every sector of the society. Such evil deed of the NPA cements their reputation as a terror group and not a revolutionary one.”
             
In June, tribal village leader Kito Melody was abducted and later on murdered by NPA death squad while another escaped the slay try in Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat province.
 
In 2009, 70 year-old Datu Intoy Baguio was murdered by NPA death squad in Davao City. Datu Amora Dagsil, another IP leader in Davao was also killed by the NPA.
 
Last year in Columbio Sultan Kudarat, NPAs killed father and son, Sendo and Jerry Awing, leaders of IPs in that town.
 
Ambush staged as world celebrates International Day of the Indigenous Peoples
 
Different tribal groups attending the IP forum condemned the attack as they converge to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples celebrated annually every August.
 
Tribal leaders, Datu Nonoy Dagsil, Datu Antonino Pangilan and Datu Edwin Omo speaking in vernacular said “We were hurt by such display of wanton disregard to human lives and attack on our people. The timing, manner and motive of the attack is a slap on IP rights and proof of the ill will of the NPAs who trample on the rights of the Lumads.”
 
“The NPAs who are espousing communism are destroying our culture as Lumads. They are killing our leaders and replacing them with individuals who become puppet of the Communist Party in wanting to introduce a foreign system to our culture thru violent means. Lumads must unite and preserve our culture against the foreign idea of communism.” The tribal leaders added
 
Indigenous peoples, target of NPA terrorism
 
Indigenous peoples particularly in Southern Mindanao have been the target of terrorism by NPA death squads.
 
Last February, 13 year-old Memilyn Moreno was killed in a Valentines’ Day attack of the NPA in the village of Sibahay in Boston town in Davao Oriental province.
 
In 2009, 83 people were murdered by the NPA in Southern Mindanao under the absolute order of the Communist Party of the Philippine, 24 of those murdered were Lumads which include the Tulang brothers who were hogtied, tortured and killed by slitting their necks and left to bleed to death
 
Records from another Lumad group, the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples’ Conference for Peace and Development (MIPCPD) show that from 1998-2008, a total of 357 Lumads were murdered by the NPA in Davao Region.

CPT EMMANUEL R GARCIA (INF) PA
Chief, Division Public Affairs Office

Holganza leaves 10ID, assumes Command of NADESCOM Segovia takes reigns of 10ID

August 03, 2010, 12:18:55 AM by eaglei in .

Camp Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City, August 2, 2010- Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza leaves Region 11 and Socsargen as he relinquish his post as commander of the Army’s largest division in the south to Maj. Gen. Jorge Segovia in a Change of Command Ceremony 10:00 AM Tuesday, August 3.

In a Parade-In-Review and Turn-Over of Command ceremony to be held at the Army headquarters here, Maj. Gen. Holganza will formally relinquish command of the 6,000 strong 10th Infantry Division (10ID) to Maj. Gen. Segovia after an eight month stint as its commander.

Holganza assumed command of the National Development Support Command (NADESCOM) earlier as he replaced Lt. Gen. Nestor Ochoa, head of NADESCOM and also concurrent Vice Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) before his early retirement weeks ago.

Holganza’s appointment as head of the development arm of the AFP is seen as a major boost in the AFP’s peace efforts nationwide with his “out of the box” and soft approach to insurgency by focusing service to the people rather than concentrating on the armed group.

Segovia, on the other hand, will be leaving his post as commander of 2nd Infantry Division covering Tagalog Region to assume leadership as the fifth commander of the youngest army division in the country and is expected to carry-on the peace and development projects being undertaken by soldiers in the region as the main focus in the fight against threats to national development.

In a statement, Maj. Gen. Holganza expressed his gratitude to all stakeholders who helped the 10th Infantry Division accomplish its mission during his term saying, “The partnership of the LGUs, NGOs and all sectors particularly the local residents, barangay officials and the media together with our soldiers has been the key factor in making our peace and development efforts work.” Holganza also lauded the soldiers for doing a job well done. “I take pride of our soldiers for taking the moral high ground in every operation we have conducted and always taking into account the wellbeing of the people.” Holganza said.

Holganza is credited in bringing the soldiers of 10ID closer to the people by being close to the media. The AFP’s peace and development efforts in Southern Mindanao were widely covered by every media outfit which brought the good news to the people.  

In referring to his successor Holganza said, “I am confident that the 10th Infantry Division will be in good hands with an equally competent and hardworking man like Maj. Gen. Segovia at the helm. I believe that he will take the lead in bringing the Agila troops into even greater heights.”

Maj. Gen. Segovia, on the other hand, is all praises to his predecessor saying, “Maj. Gen. Holganza has done a solid accomplishment as commander and I am duty bound to equal it if not to surpass the achievements the division has attained during his term. Rest assured that our focus on peace and development particularly in the countryside will take new vigor as our soldiers will continue guarding communities and serving our people.”


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CPT EMMANUEL R GARCIA (INF) PA
Chief, Division Public Affairs Office
Contact Number: (082) 302-2061,E-mail Add: dpao10id@yahoo.com
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3 child combatants, cousin surrender in SouthMin

August 02, 2010, 05:12:22 AM by eaglei in .

Camp Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City – Three child combatants together with another New People’s Army (NPA) fighter surrendered to authorities in three separate areas in Southern Mindanao.

Roy Balilid Parasa alias Niño, a 17 year old child combatant together with his cousin Alfonso Parasa alias Amar, 26 years old, both members of the Sentro de Gravidad-72 of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Regional Committee surrendered to elements of 39th Infantry Battalion (39IB) 7:00 AM today in the village of Tagaytay in Magsaysay Town in Davao del Sur Province. The duo also yielded an M16 assault rifle and an M14 rifle.

“Since Niño is a minor, we will turn him over to the DSWD so that appropriate steps can be taken in his behalf. They will both receive necessary help from the government.” said Lt. Col. Oliver Artuz, commander of 39IB.

In the village of Dumlan in Monkayo town in Compostela Valley province, another minor, Aiza Mae Cañete alias Meme, 15 years old, surrendered to elements of 1001st Infantry Brigade last July 23.

In Cateel town in Davao Oriental, 17 year-old Remie Pericano alias John Paul, a member of Team Abe of the Sentro De Gravidad, Front-15 surrendered to troops of 67th Infantry Battalion last July 16.

Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, Commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division slammed the NPA for “the brazen disregard to children’s rights by NPA terrorists.”  Holganza further said that “the newest wave of surrender of child combatants only cements the truth on the anti-children policy of the NPA and it has proven once again that they do not respect the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect to Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) particularly its provisions on the respect and protection of children from physical and psychological harm.”

It may be recalled that the United Nations in its report categorically mentioned the NPA as an organization that recruits minors and utilize them as combatants.

The latest surrender of minors brings to seven the total number of child combatants who yielded to authorities this year in Southern Mindanao alone.
 
In 2009, 13 NPA child combatants surrendered to 10th Infantry Division.

CPT EMMANUEL R GARCIA (INF) PA
Public Affairs Officer
10th Infantry Division, Philippine Army
Contact Number: (082) 302-2061
E-mail: dpao10id@yahoo.com


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NPA terrorists torch 5 container vans in ComVal

August 02, 2010, 04:45:33 AM by eaglei in .

Camp Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City, July 31, 2010- New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists torched five container vans of a banana plantation in the village of Camanlangan in New Bataan town in Compostela Valley (ComVal) 8:30 AM today.

Reports reaching authorities state that about 15 fully armed men led by certain alias Ondo of Local Terrorist Front-27 (LTF-27) of the NPA were responsible in burning the containers owned by Dole-Stanfilco.

Initial investigation conducted by authorities revealed that the motive is the refusal of Dole-Stanfilco to give-in to the terrorists’ extortion demand.

The incident was deplored by authorities as another unlawful and immoral act of the NPA. “This is another proof of the consistency of the terrorists’ decadent deeds in sabotaging our economy and making the people suffer. They do not recognize the right of the people to engage in free enterprise and they do not want our country to progress. The only thing they are interested in is the money they can steal from legitimate businessmen, small enterprises and ordinary farmers. The NPA has proven once again that they are the biggest extortion syndicate in the country.” Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, Commander of the army’s 10th Infantry Division said.

In June, farm trucks and equipment were burned to ashes by NPAs in Tulunan town in North Cotabato then robbed horses, poultry products and kitchen wares.

Last March, two trucks and container vans were also burned by NPA terrorists in Maragusan town also in Comval.

In January, local terrorists burned a compactor and a dump truck of a construction firm in the village of Sibahay in Boston town in Davao del Oriental while in Kapalong town in Davao del Norte, NPAs also torched a truck and farm products.

Last year several container vans of Dole-Stanfilco were also burned by NPAs in ComVal.

Investigations conducted reveal that the motive in all burning incidents is the refusal of business entities and individuals to give extortion money to NPA terrorists.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines and has been figured out in many instances of burning of vehicles and facilities to include buses, construction equipment, farm implements and business structures of individuals and companies who failed to give extortion money.
 
 
CPT EMMANUEL R GARCIA (INF) PA
Chief, Division Public Affairs Office
Contact Number: (082) 302-2061
E-mail Add: dpao10id@yahoo.com
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