3 power co-op workers killed in Samar ambush

TACLOBAN CITY — Three employees of an electric cooperative were killed, while three others survived when communist rebels ambushed them in a remote barangay in Catbalogan, Samar yesterday afternoon.

Maj. Gen. Bonifacio Ramos, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan, confirmed the deaths of the three civilians and the wounding of three others, all employees of the Samar 11 Electric Cooperative (Samar 11) based in Paranas town.

Ramos said the New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas apparently mistook the victims for Army soldiers.

The fatalities were identified as engineer Dalmacio Capede, Ryan Cabregas and Benedicto Gabon, and the wounded as Elmer Jullado, Artemio Cascayan and Billy Oway.

About 10 rebels waylaid the group at about 2:35 p.m. in the interior barangay of Caramangan.

The NPA reportedly later apologized to the family of Capede who died at the Samar Provincial Hospital in Catbalogan town.

Ramos denounced the ambush, saying it showed that the communist movement is not for development.

He said the ambush is just the start of an NPA offensive against the military and civilians to counter the successful counter-insurgency campaign in Samar.

Ramos called on militant and human rights groups in Eastern Visayas, including members of the International Solidarity Mission who recently visited Samar, to show their concern for the victims of human rights abuses committed by any group.

"This is a clear violation of human rights. They also have to show their concern for these victims because whenever (alleged) victims of human rights accuse the military, they are very vocal against us," Ramos said.