Suspected NPAs kill 2 Marines in Palawan

Two members of the Philippine Marines were killed by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) members while on their way home from the market in Roxas, Palawan Wednesday morning.

Senior Superintendent Gabriel Lopez, Palawan police director, identified the Marines as Private First Class Joene Gagogas Galiste and Private James Melchor Porol.

Lopez said the gunmen used  .9mm and .45 pistols based on the spent shells found in the crime scene.

Initial reports said the incident happened around 7:30 a.m in Purok Magsarungsong, Barangay Magara.

Lopez said the gunmen casually walked away from the scene after the shooting.

Police are looking for witnesses who can provide investigators with the descriptions of the Marines' killers.

Another ambush in Palawan

Meanwhile, a Marine personnel was hurt when an M35 Troop Carrier he was on board along with three others was fired upon at Sitio Tagbituka in Barangay Tarusan, Bataraza, Palawan Tuesday afternoon.

They were on their way to Rio Tuba for a community support program at the time of the incident.

The injured Marine was identified as Private First Class Garry Estapia.

Captain Cheryl Tindog, Western Command spokesperson, said they shall continue with their civil military operations in Palawan in order to support and protect its peace and development despite the incidents.

“Team WESCOM also denounces the CPP-NPA-NDF’s use of IED as a shameful and gutless act that can’t be anything more than placing the lives of innocent civilians in the area in grave danger. The CPP-NPA-NDF has always been like this – a violator of international humanitarian laws by using roadside IEDs from past to present – if it is already losing against government efforts that ensure civilians do not get enticed anymore by their depraved philosophies,” she said.

She said the incidents were even more a hard blow to the communist rebels than the government troops following the latter’s takeover of their training camp in Samariñana, Brooke's Point.

“They are now desperate because Team WESCOM’s civil military operations are winning and continuously building stronger ties in many communities in the province,” she said. — ALG/KVD/RSJ, GMA News