Two soldiers wounded as alleged NPAs attack troops helping storm victims

December 18, 2017

Two soldiers were wounded after alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) attacked government troops conduct ing humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) activities for the victims of Tropical Storm Urduja in Eastern Samar.

2Lt. Michelle Estares,  civil military operations officer of the Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion, said  government troops were on HADR mission on their way to Brgy. Hinagonoyan, Catubig, Northern Samar when they encountered around 50 rebels around 3:20 pm last Saturday.

Estares said the fire fight that lasted for about an hour and 25 minutes has resulted to the injury of two soldiers identified as Cpl. Yzazel Laure and PFC Ronald Gomez.

“It is unfortunate and sad that our soldiers were engaged by terrorist NPAs while serving the people,” he said.

“Our troops were there to conduct HADR as part of our responsibility to conduct disaster rescue operation and help people who need assistance during disaster,” he added.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)  criticized the attacks.

“The attack on our soldiers on their way to conduct Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response operations in Samar by the NPA is an affront not to the military but to the Filipinos’ sense of love and compassion to fellow Kababayans victims of Typhoon Urduja,” Col. Edgard Arevalo, AFP Public Affairs Chief, said.

“We condemn this attack. It only manifested the true color of these communist terrorists. This only validated the aptness of government's decision to terminate the peace negotiations and to discontinue the traditional Christmas truce,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS