2 militiamen killed in Davao City NPA attack

Suspected communist rebels on Tuesday shot dead two government militiamen in Davao City in southern Philippines, the military reported on Wednesday. Major Gen. Carlos Holganza, the new commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, condemned the attack, noting that the two – Benjamin Tayo and Joel Adang – were unarmed, on civilian clothes, and buying food when attacked in Toril district. “These terrorists are repeatedly doing this by indiscriminately, slaughtering unarmed soldiers and even innocent civilians," Holganza said. The military said the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels that attacked Tayo and Adang were led by one Bonet and Jasmi/Yodi. Tayo and Adang, both from the 72nd Infantry Battalion, were shot while buying food at a cooperative in Purok Uno in Barakatan village at about 2 p.m. Captain Emmanuel Garcia, the 10th Infantry Division spokesman, said Tayo died on the spot while Adang managed to run and reach their detachment at Purok San Roque before succumbing to gunshot wounds. Garcia said the rebels “harassed" the detachment for at least 20 minutes before withdrawing toward Talomo at Sibulan village. Holganza, who assumed the post only last Monday, described the attack as “cowardly and inhuman." “These terrorists show their total disregard and disrespect to the most basic tenets of International Humanitarian Law," he said. The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), is included in the US list of foreign terrorist organizations. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has ordered the military to wipe out the communist rebels on or before her term ends in June 2010. Former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. last week admitted that their operations against the NPA rebels had been affected by the recent killer cyclones that lashed Luzon as soldiers were ordered to concentrate more on relief operations. - GMANews.TV