PAF man killed, 2 hurt in NPA ambush

MANILA, Philippines - An Air Force man was killed and two colleagues were wounded in an ambush by communist rebels in Calaca, Batangas last Wednesday, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) said yesterday.

PAF spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Miguel Okol said the three were cruising Barangay Calantas in Calaca town on a motorcycle when they were fired at.

Okol said Airman First Class Darwin de Roxas died on the spot, while Airmen Second Class Rommel Tiosin and Aaron Manalo were brought to a hospital in Balayan town.

“The (three) were part of the barangay community development teams reaching out to the different barangays in their area of responsibility,” Okol said in a text message.

He condemned what he called the insurgents’ “treacherous” act, saying that pursuit operations were ongoing against the ambushers.

Meanwhile, a New People’s Army (NPA) member engaged in extortion activities was killed in an encounter with security forces in Oriental Mindoro last Thursday. 

Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato, 2nd Infantry Division civil-military operations chief, said Rolando Pamorada, leader of a local NPA extortion group, was killed in a five-minute clash in Barangay Orcunoma, Bongabong town.

He said the encounter was a result of the continuous anti-extortion operations of the Army and Philippine National Police.

1Lt. Celeste Frank Sayson, 2nd Infantry Division spokesman, said a carbine rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, a laptop, three cellular phones, 14 SIM cards and cash amounting to P57,000 were recovered after the clash.

Security forces intensified their anti-extortion operations after Mindoro residents complained about the rebels’ illegal activities during the last elections. – Alexis Romero, Ed Amoroso and Arnell Ozaeta