NPAs admit they ambushed religious ministers

THE New People’s Army (NPA) admitted that they were the ones who ambushed ministers of a religious group on Wednesday, April 18, at Sico-sico Bridge, Barangay Lahi, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte.

Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) Public Information Officer Major Ezra Balagtey said the ambush resulted to the death of Pastor Jepti Acedo, 32 years old. Two others, identified as Virgil Ortiz, 23, and Abner Malaque, 20, both who are missionaries, were injured.

According to him, the NPA said in its statement that they were sorry and that some of their members have only mistaken them for somebody else.

Balagtey said the communist group will be investigating the incident and promised that the group will shoulder the expenses of the victims’ families.

Under the Part IV, Article IV item number 4 of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), the civilian populace shall be distinguished from combatants and, together with their property, shall not be the object of attack.

In an earlier statement, Brigadier General Franco Nemesio Gacal, commander of 402nd Infantry brigade, condemned the

NPA’s acts of terrorism which he said posed an even bigger threat to the civilian populace and to the economy of Surigao del Norte.

“In coordination with the PNP, we will hunt them down to bring justice to the victims and their families,” he added.