Soldier killed in NPA attack in Northern Samar

NPA rebel soldiers in Southern Mindanao (Photo: http://www.ndfp.net)

MANILA — Troopers from the Catbalogan-based 8th Infantry Division are now tracking down the New People’s Army (NPA) fighters who treacherously shot and killed a soldier in Catarman, Northern Samar last Aug. 22.

In a report on Sunday, 8th Infantry Division spokesperson Lt. Col. Erwin Alea identified the slain trooper as S/Sgt. Marciano Padilla, Barangay San Pascual detachment commander and assigned to the 52nd Infantry Battalion.

Alea said that the victim was aboard a “habal-habal” (motorcycle-for-hire) and headed toward his detachment when 15 to 20 NPA rebels flagged the vehicle at around 12 noon.

After shooting the motorcycle, the rebels immediately fired on Padilla, killing the latter instantly.

“The incident only proves that the CPP-NPA-NDF (Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front) has no intentions of following the agreements stipulated in the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL) which they signed together with the Government of the Philippines,” Alea said.