Soldier, 2 civilians killed in Catanduanes ambush

LEGAZPI CITY – New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas waylaid a group of soldiers returning to Virac, the capital town of Catanduanes, after checking the rebels’ plan to attack a cell site, killing one soldier and two civilians, the military said.

Lt. Col. Leoncio Sirunay, commanding officer of the Army’s 65th Infantry Battalion based in Ligao City, Albay, said the Army troopers led by 2Lt. Edward Dompol had come from Baras town, some 30 kilometers away from Virac, where they looked into reports that the insurgents were extorting from villagers and plotting to torch a cell site of Globe Telecom there.

Sirunay said the NPA ambushers, numbering about 20, opened fire at the soldiers in Barangay Batolinao, killing Pvt. Jason Dypiang, driver Edgar Pilili and Rodel Dwanya and seriously wounding two other civilians, Ryan Cepada and Diomedes Tataro.

Three other soldiers, identified as 2Lt. Dompol and Pfcs. Kelvin Dolor and David Obispo, were slightly wounded.