Woman slain, 3 others wounded in Misamis ambush

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – A woman was killed while three others, including two members of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Units (CAFGU)’s active auxiliary, were wounded in an ambush staged by communist rebels yesterday morning in Misamis Oriental, a military official said.

Major Eugene Osias, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said the victims were all on board a passenger motorcycle locally known as “habal-habal” when the rebels waylaid them. The ambush happened at around 6:20 a.m. in Barangay Kibanban, Balingasag town.

Osias identified the fatality as Eluna Lindahay, wife of CAFGU member Elorde Lindahay, who was wounded along with Willian Castillo.

The motorcycle driver, whose name was withheld, was also wounded while Castillo’s wife Lilibeth, also a CAFGU member, was unhurt.

The victims were supposed to attend a court hearing on a case filed against a captured communist leader identified as Reden Libona, who was arrested in Bukidnon in 2008. “It was clear that the NPA rebels were trying to prevent the victims from testifying. It also showed the rebels’ indiscriminate attack on women and civilians notwithstanding those two members of the CAFGU were already in their civilian status as they were not armed and in civilian attires,” Osias said.

He said elements of the 58th Infantry Battalion launched a manhunt operation on the attackers. – With Alexis Romero