9 govt troops hurt in NPA ambush in Agusan del Sur

Nine government security personnel were hurt in an ambush staged by communist rebels in Agusan del Sur early Friday, days after the holiday ceasefire observed by the rebels lapsed.

The troops were about to serve an arrest warrant to a murder suspect in Barangay Balit in San Luis municipality when shot by more or less seven New People's Army (NPA) rebels, said Capt. Christian Uy of the Army's 4th Infantry Division.

Of the nine, seven were soldiers, one was a police officer, and one was a government militiaman, Uy said.

He said the soldiers and militiamen were providing added security to the policemen who were serving the arrest warrant against one Nestor Campos, who was accused of murder.

Although the government forces failed to locate Campos, Uy doubts the serving of the arrest warrant was related to the ambush, which resulted in a firefight that lasted for 45 minutes.

It was the first encounter between government forces and NPA rebels in Agusan Del Sur since the insurgents' own ceasefire ended on January 2.

Although the military is still under its own truce until January 15, Uy pointed out that the soldiers involved were on a law enforcement and not a military operation.

Talks to end the four decades-long communist insurgency broke down in April last year when both parties claimed the negotiations were going nowhere.

Norway, the third party mediator in the peace talks, has sought the resumption of the negotiations and committed to remain as facilitator “as long as this is the interest of the government of the Philippines,” said Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende in Manila. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/KBK, GMA News