3 Marines killed in NPA ambush in Palawan on first day of SOMO

Suspected communist guerrillas killed three Marines in Palawan on the first day the unilateral declaration of ceasefire took effect yesterday, officials said.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Ariel Caculitan said the three Marines were unarmed and wearing civilian clothes on their way to a market when they were attacked by about 20 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in a farming village in San Vicente town yesterday morning.

Caculitan said the ambush occurred on the first day of the implementation of the 22-day Suspension of Offensive Military Operations (SOMO).

“It is unfortunate that the good gesture of the Armed Forces of the Philippines to declare the SOMO was not reciprocated by the other side,” Caculitan said.

Caculitan pointed out the three soldiers were not on a combat mission when they were waylaid.

The identities of the slain soldiers were not immediately released pending notification of their respective families, although Caculitan said two of the casualties were privates first class while the third casualty was a Marine private.

Initial reports, however, identified the slain troopers as Privates First Class Pun-an, Pilar and Private Samoy of the 29th Marine Company, Marine Battalion Landing Team 9 based at the Western Command (Wescom).

Chief Superintendent Luisito Palmera, Mimaropa police director, said the ambush occurred at Sitio Cauban in Barangay Binga as the three soldiers were on their way to market to buy food.

The attackers were led by a certain Gilbert Ilagan, officials said.

The attack came six hours after the SOMO ordered by President Arroyo took effect after midnight Saturday.

It was not clear whether the military would lift the truce and go after those thought responsible for the killings but Caculitan said “there will be adjustments in security.”

Lt. Col. Jacinto de Vera, spokesman for the military’s Western Command in Palawan, said troops had been ordered to hunt down the attackers.

A military hunt for the attackers would not violate the Dec. 16-Jan. 6 ceasefire, which allows government troops to defensively respond to rebel attacks, he said.

The rebels did not immediately issue a public reaction to the military’s accusations.

The NPA have refused to declare their own Christmas truce for the past two years, claiming the military has used it to spy on and even take the opportunity to attack.

The SOMO, which took effect midnight yesterday, would end at 12 midnight of Jan. 6 next year.

Despite the 22-day holiday truce with the communist rebels, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon said the military will continue its “defensive mode,” focusing on protective patrols and civic-military operations in the countryside.

Esperon noted the SOMO this year was the longest in consideration of calls by troops to better enjoy the holiday season with their families.

“We have considerations for that, we just want all the people to, from our side, we want a better enjoyment of the Yuletide season, we also want everybody to feel that peace is better than going to war. And so there are alternatives other than fighting violent wars,” he said. – With Non Alquitran, AP