6 soldiers killed, 9 wounded in Duldulao, Malibcong, AbraDiego Wadagan
Spokesperson
Agustin Begnalen Command
August 2, 2008
NPA guerillas of the Agustin Begnalen Command (NPA-Abra) staged an ambush against a platoon of operating troops of the Bravo Coy, 41st IB on August 1, 2008 at Barangay Duldulao, Malibcong, Abra. The firefight started at 1:15 PM and lasted only for five minutes. Six soldiers were killed, nine were wounded (two later died at the hospital) and an M16 rifle, ammunitions and backpack were retrieved by the NPA guerillas after the brief firefight. The Red Guerillas used a command-detonated claymore mine and safely withdrew. A company-sized composite contingent of the Bravo and Charlie Coys is currently terrorizing the people of Malibcong Poblacion, Duldulao, and Bayabas, and is forcing the people to allow the establishment of detachments in the municipality. The overwhelming majority of the people, however, are opposed to the 41st IB's plan.
After suffering heavy casualties from a series of attacks by the NPA in 2007, the 41st IB was pulled out for retraining in March, 2008, when the 503rd Brigade shifted its Headquarters to Barbarit, Lagangilang, Abra. Since January 2008, the 503rd Brigade prioritized Abra in their counter-insurgency operations because of the more than 36 mining applications in the province awaiting approval. The 50th IB and the 53rd DRC concentrated combat operations in the tri-boundary of Abra, Mountain Province, and Ilocos Sur particularly in Dilong Valley, while the rest of the 503rd Brigade's forces were deployed in Baay-Licuan. The latest mining interest in Dilong Valley is the Philippine Metals Corporation owned by an Australian mining firm, with Mailed Molina acting as their local negotiator. Despite the overwhelming rejection by the people of Baay-Licuan of the Olympus-Pacific exploration, mining interests are hell-bent in extracting the gold and copper mineral deposits in the province, with forces of the 503rd Brigade deployed as security forces of the mining companies. The 41st IB was redeployed in Baay-Licuan and the surrounding municipalities of Malibcong and Lacub in July, 2008, along with RSOT units and other forces of the 503rd Brigade.
The 503rd Brigade denies its role in securing big mining interests in Abra, and asserts that it is only the NPA that rejects these mining interests, because the revolutionary movement protects and operates the alleged "illegal small-scale mining" activities in the upland towns of Abra, specifically in Lacub, Tineg, Malibcong, Baay-Licuan, Daguioman, Boliney, and Tubo. But clearly, the truth is that the 503rd Brigade acts in behalf of big foreign mining interests and the rotten Arroyo Regime. The 503rd Brigade should know that long before the NPA established its deep ties with the people of Abra, small-scale mining was already a way of life of the Tinggians. The people of Abra, Tinggians and Ilocanos alike, will fight and defend their land, life and resources. Such was the case in their struggle against the logging operations of the Cellophil Resources Corporation; and without doubt, the people will again rise and unite against big mining interests in the province.
The Agustin Begnalen Command launched the August 1, 2008 ambush against operating troops of the Bravo Coy of the 41st IB as a punitive action, and in defense of revolutionary gains paid in sweat, blood and lives of martyrs. Impositions of the Arroyo regime and the big mining companies will only fuel protests and unrests, and militarization will only intensify the people's armed resistance. The Agustin Begnalen Command and the entire revolutionary movement in the province supports the people's opposition to large scale mining and all its disguised forms, and vows to frustrate all military and PNP operations to impose alleged "development projects", and in accordance with Oplan Bantay Laya 2. #
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