Cotabato ambush part of tactical offensive vs Army - NPA

KIDAPAWAN CITY - The New Peoples' Army (NPA) claimed responsibility for Monday's attack on elements of the Army's 39th Infantry Battalion based in a remote village in a hinterland town in North Cotabato, killing three soldiers and wounding 21 others. In a statement issued Thursday, the rebel group called the incident as part of a series of "tactical offensives" against the Army, which they claimed has been wrecking "havoc" in many areas at the boundary of North Cotabato and Bukidnon provinces. Major Lyndon Paniza, chief of the 39th IB, said the soldiers were on their way to Barangay Ilustre in the boundary of Arakan and Antipas towns when attacked by at least 20 NPA rebels. Ilustre is a known stronghold of the NPA. The Herminio Alfonso Operations Command of the NPA's Southern Mindanao Region Front 53, which has been operating in the hinterlands of North Cotabato, led the attack, said Isabel Santiago, its spokesperson. After they staged the ambush on May 5, they raided the next day the detachment of the Cafgu and 39th IB in nearby Barangay Anapulon in Arakan, North Cotabato where they carted away two long firearms -- a shotgun and a Garand rifle. The rebels also disarmed the barangay captain of Kabalantian, also in Arakan town, whom they accused of helping the military in their operations against the communist rebels. Santiago has denied reports that many of the attackers were killed and injured when the soldiers fired back after the attack. "None of our Red fighters was killed nor injured because they were able to flee from the area, with high moral and willpower" Santiago said. Major Raymundo D. Aguada, spokesman of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said in a statement that the NPA suffered an undetermined number of casualties and injuries as they spotted "bloodstains on the withdrawal route" of the rebels. Aguada accused the NPA of violating International Humanitarian Law for using landmines in the attack. He said the 1002nd Infantry Brigade has already launched large-scale military operations to run after the perpetrators. "There will be no let-up in the operations until such time that the area will be cleared from enemy presence and influence," he vowed. - Sun.Star Davao