MANILA, Philippines - Government officials paid tribute yesterday to the 10 soldiers killed in a New People’s Army ambush in Las Navas, Northern Samar on Tuesday.
Lt. Col. Noel Vestuir, Army 8th Infantry Division spokesman, said the arrival of Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Quintos Deles has strengthened the resolve of troops to abide by the ceasefire despite the deaths of their comrades-in-arms.
Accompanying Gazmin and Deles were government chief peace negotiator Alexander Padilla, Armed Forces chief Gen. Ricardo David and Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz.
“Despite the incident, as per the defense chief’s guidance, we will observe the SOMO (suspension of military operations),” Vestuir said.
“We will be on defense but we keep our readiness to preempt any hostile plans by the enemy,” he added.
Vestuir said the soldiers were marching back to barracks to observe the government-declared ceasefire when NPA rebels ambushed them. Two soldiers were also wounded in the attack.
Nine-year-old Joven Cabe was also killed after he was hit by a shrapnel from exploding landmines while he was taking a bath in a nearby river, Vestuir said.
The remains of the 10 soldiers are now at the St. Francis Chapel of the 63rd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Dalakit in Catarman.
At Malacañang, deputy presidential spokesman Abigail Valte said the NPA cannot justify the killing of the soldiers and the nine-year-old boy.
However, Deles and the government peace negotiating panel would have to determine whether the CPP-NPA could be compelled to surrender the attackers, she added.
“We’ve already said that we have agreed before that there will be no preconditions (for the peace talks),” Valte told radio dzBB.
“This might be construed as a precondition so it is better to defer to the judgment of Secretary Deles on this matter,” she added.
Valte said the government strongly objects to the CPP’s claim that the ambush was a legitimate act of war.
“We certainly disagree because I don’t know where, in any part of the world, where you could go and say the death of a nine-year old child was part of a legitimate act of war,” she said.
Valte said the attack was made hours before the ceasefire with communist rebels would have taken effect.
“They should be the ones to explain to those who have lost their husband this Christmas that it was a legitimate act of war,” she said.
“They should also be the ones to explain to the parents who lost their child this Christmas because they say it was a legitimate act of war.”
In a statement, the Communist Party of the Philippines said the attack was in accordance with the international rules of war. – With Aurea Calica