BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division strongly condemned the merciless killing of two of its personnel, following the admission of the New People’s Army Armando Sumayang Command that they were behind the deaths on November 24 in Sitio Cambugiot, Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
Killed were SSgt. Ken Camilan and Sgt. Regie Glindro, both intelligence operatives of the 47th Infantry Battalion.
In a statement, Major Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 3ID commander, said that the ultimate sacrifice of the two soldiers would not go in vain, for their death would drive their colleagues to end the cruelty of the NPA and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“These soldiers risked their lives to protect and bring peace to the people of Negros, and we honor the heroism and sacrifices of our fallen comrades, and we will ensure that justice will be served,” MGen Arevalo said, stressing that “this senseless attack proves again that the CPP NPA is a consistent human rights violator.”
The two Army soldiers were on their way to Sitio Cambogiot proper in the barangay on board a motorcycle, when an armed group of suspected rebels opened fire at them. Both victims succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot, according to initial reports of the Sipalay City Police Station.
Initial police investigations showed that five armed men fled on board two motorcycles towards Sitios Bolo, Linumsan and Omas in Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City.
Recovered from the scene of incident were six empty .45 caliber pistol shells and five fired cartridges from an M-16 assault rifle.
Arevalo disclosed that Camilan and Glindro were traversing the national highway of Brgy. Camindangan, to coordinate with barangay officials regarding the upcoming local peace engagement with residents who used to be rebel supporters, when they were flagged down and shot dead by the rebels.
They were not in combat operations and were wearing civilian clothes when killed, Arevalo said.
He believes that the act of rebels was in retaliation for the setbacks suffered by the CPP-NPA, following the recent discovery and seizure of an arms cache on Nov. 19 in Brgy. Gatuslao, Candoni, and the surrender of Germelyn Planas Quiretan, an official of the South West Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor.
In a statement it issued, the NPA Armando Sumayang Command admitted that they were responsible for the ambush and killing of the two Army soldiers.*
