2 soldiers dead, 4 hurt in Mindanao NPA attack
KIDAPAWAN CITY â Two government soldiers were killed and four civilians were hurt in an ambush staged by suspected New People's Army (NPA) guerrillas around 10 a.m. Friday in Davao City. Capt. Emmanuel Garcia, chief of the public affairs division of the 10th Infantry Division (ID), identified the slain soldiers, who are also members of a tribal community, as Pfc. Elansio Alonsagay and Pfc. Kimpio Labawan. The wounded civilians were Johry Abolorio, Gloria Alarao, Aliberto Libayao, and Enecencio Dangkay. The military said the victims were on motorcycles on their way to attend a tribal forum in Paquibato District in Davao City when ambushed in Sitio Marugasan in Barangay Colosas. A leader of an indigenous peopleâs group Datu Ruben Labawan of the Davao Supreme Tribal Council for Peace and Development (DSTCPD) group survived the ambush. Datu Labawan is a relative of Pfc. Kimpio Labawan. Reports from the 10th ID said the more than 20 rebels who attacked Datu Labawanâs convoy were supposedly members of the NPA Mindanao Regional Operations Command. DSTCPâs tribal leaders condemned the attack, hinting that Datu Labawan was its real target. The Armyâs 1003rd Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Eduardo del Rosario said tribal leaders in Southern Mindanao who were against Communist insurgency were usual targets of NPA attacks. âThis is a deplorable act and must be condemned by every sector of society. Such evil deed of the NPA cements their reputation as a terror group and not a revolutionary one," Del Rosario said. â Malou Cadeliña Manar/LBG, GMANews.TV