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6 firearms seized, 6 soldiers killed in Samar ambush
Red fighters of the NPA Arnulfo Ortiz Command seized an M60, an M203, two M14s and two M16s when they wiped out a six-man team of the 62nd IB in an ambush along the boundary of Barangays Canilungan and Hindang in Calbiga, Samar on April 8. The soldiers were on their way back to their camp after attending a barrio fiesta in the middle of their military operation. Among those killed was Lt. Williamson Tan, the leader of the team.
The 62nd IB had been in Samar province for only two weeks when the ambush occurred. It had a long record of abuses against the people during its stint in Eastern Samar. In February 2004, angry villagers of Barangay Tagaslian, Maydulong, Eastern Samar drove out an abusive unit of the 62nd IB that had based itself in the barrio for four months. The soldiers had threatened the villagers, picked fights and indiscriminately fired their weapons. Their frequent drinking and gambling sprees also disrupted peace and order in the barrio.
Meanwhile, the military has responded to the April 8 ambush with ferocious attacks on the people. Two peasants were killed by the enemy in retaliation for the ambush. The military likewise burned down a house and illegally detained and harassed three peasants. Thirty to sixty percent (30-60%) of the residents of two barrios of Calbiga have been forced to evacuate because of the military's violent attacks.
In a statement, the National Democratic Front in Eastern Visayas said that unlike the NPA which only attacks legitimate targets in its tactical offensives, the reactionary military starkly violates human rights and international humanitarian law by deliberately and repeatedly attacking civilians and their communities.
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 21 April 2005
English Edition
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Ang Bayan is the official news organ of the Communist Party of the Philippines issued by the CPP Central Committee. It provides news about the work of the Party as well as its analysis of and standpoint on current issues.
AB comes out fortnightly. It is published originally in Pilipino and translated into Bisaya, Ilokano, Waray, Hiligaynon and English.
Acrobat PDF files of AB are available online for downloading and offline reading printing. If you wish to receive copies of AB via email, click here. |
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