Reds end truce, kill young mother

LIGAO CITY- After declaring the end of ceasefire at noontime on January 2, NPA bandits shot and killed a young mother later in the evening here.

In his report, Lt Col Audrey Pasia of the Army's 2nd Infantry Battalion based here, said that militiaman Arnel Yuson was travelling on board a motorcycle with his wife, Sarah Jane, when they were blocked by at least three heavily-armed bandits along the road in Bgy Oma-oma of this city at around 7:30pm.

"The bandits rained a hail of bullets at the hapless victims. Arnel was able to escape unhurt but his wife died of her fatal wounds during the ambush, forcing him to leave her behind to report the incident to the authorities," said Pasia.

Pasia said that Yuson and his two other brothers had long been wanted by the NPA for their successful operations against the bandit group.

"Arnel was credited for the arrest of notorious bandit leader Iglecirio Pernia a.k.a. Ka Choy. His two brothers are also serving in the CAFGU and in the Army and both are actively involved in the successful combat operations against the bandits in this province."

Pasia said that Ka Choy was released from a provincial jail here as part of the government's peace deal with the communist rebels.

Intelligence sources say that Ka Choy had rejoined the armed rebels and resumed his extortion activities.

Undue advantage

Pasia said that the NPA bandits are using their own ceasefire declaration to take undue advantage and commit atrocities against the soldiers.


"Our soldiers and militiamen were allowed to go home to spend time with their family during the mutually agreed truce which ends on January 15. They suddenly called off the ceasefire and commit this dastardly act of killing the wife of our off-duty militiaman. This treacherous attack is a clear indication of their insincerity in pushing through a lasting peace," he said.

Pasia also added that the incident is a clear indication of the NPA's gross violations of human rights.

"Killing unarmed military personnel and their family members who are non-combatants, is against the laws of armed conflict and the rule of law. This is also a violation on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHIHL) that both parties signed."

It can be recalled that NPA bandits also beheaded village councilman Ely Oguis of Guinobatan town in November 2012.

Oguis was sentenced to die for refusing to pay extortion demanded by the bandits.