3 Scout Rangers killed in Sorsogon ambush

MANILA, Philippines - Three soldiers were killed Wednesday in a mid-morning ambush staged by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Magallanes town in Sorsogon, a military official said. Major Chris Morales, spokesman of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division based in Camarines Sur, identified the slain soldiers as Cpl. Jonathan Arguero, Cpl. Frederick Leones, and Pfc. Ferdinand Tannagan, all members of the 7th Scout Rangers Company. Morales said the three were onboard a motorcycle and were on their way back to platoon base in Tula-Tula village in Magallanes around 9:30 a.m. when ambushed by more or less 10 NPA rebels at the vicinity of Sitio Macabalo in Bacalon village. “We strongly condemned this treacherous attacks of the NPA rebels. We will continue our offensive against the enemy," Morales said, adding that the rebels also suffered an “undetermined" number of fatalities. The military has dispatched troops on the possible withdrawal route of the fleeing rebels. The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). - GMANews.TV