PH rebels rebels own up ambush where civilians are killed
PHILIPPINES – The spokesman of the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Mindanao on Tuesday admitted responsibility over the death of 4 civilians and wounding of 4 others which included an 8-year old girl in an ambush staged by its military wing, the New People’s Army.
“It is most unfortunate that a number of civilians have figured unintendedly in an ambush carried out by a unit of the New People’s Army (NPA) – NEMR in Rosario, Agusan del Sur against a notorious armed barangay captain, together with his escorts, a cadreman and CAFGU members,” NDF Mindanao spokesman Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oris.
The NDF is the political umbrella of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the NPA.
File photo of NPA regulars in northern Mindanao.Pic by Edwin Espejo
On November 30, an ambulance carrying Barangay Chairman Emillio Solidor Jr of Marfil, Loreto in Agusan del Sur was ambushed by the NPAs while it was on its way home after attending a thanksgiving celebration of the Wayside Bible Baptist church.
Dead on the spot were Neljoy Cerna, 27, Noni Mabong, 51, Alfredo Cerna, 51, and Vanessa Sabas, 30.
The wounded were identified as Liza Casilla, 47, Elmer Adonis, 37, Mae Roselyn Adonis, 8, and Solidor Jr, 49.
Ka Oris said the NPAs will indemnify the victims gut at the same time reiterated its strict “adherence to the signed documents between the GPH and the NDFP, particularly the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and the International Humanitarian Law, or CARHRIHL.”
Ka Maria Malaya, believed to be the wife of Ka Oris and NDF spokesman of the Northern Eastern Mindanao Region, said the target of the NPA ambush were cadre man Sgt. Derion Mordeno and CAFGU/CAA Expedito Sabado, Elmer Adonis, Lalang Anstral, Minggoy Serna and one only known as Arong.
“Gihimo nga private service ni Brgy. Capt. Solidor, uban sa mga armadong CAFGU, ang ambulansya sa barangay, imbis nga alang sa mga pasyente,” Ka Maria further explained.(Brgy Capt Solidor, together with the armed CAFGUs, has been using the ambulance as private service instead of the use of patients)
“Alang sa mga pamilyang hingtungdan ug sa publiko, balikon namo, dili tinuyo nga maong panghitabo. Ug kay nasayop man ang mga Kauban, responsibilidad sa rebolusyonaryong organisasyon ang pagpahiluna sa danyos nga nahimo ngadto sa mga sibilyan,” she further stated.(To the families and the people, we reiterate that the death of civilians was unintentional. Because our comrades erred, it is our responsibility to indemnify the civilians who were killed and wounded.)
Ka Maria however also insisted said that Solidor and the Sgt. Derion Mordeno and the CAFGU/CAA who used the ambulance were legitimate targets.
She said their intelligence information was accurate but the command of the NPA unit failed to gather the fact that the ambulance picked up some civilians along the way to the ambush site.
The military has condemned the ambush claiming it is a clear act of human rights abuse.
Today is the 64th anniversary of the United Nations Declaration of Human rights Day.
