LEGAZPI CITY — The Santos Binamera Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) Albay claimed responsibility for the killings of two soldiers on Monday morning in Camalig town, Albay.
“The 31st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army is responsible for many crimes against humanity in Albay, Sorsogon at Masbate,” NPA spokesperson, Florante Orobia, said in a statement.
The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Bicol on Tuesday, Feb. 21, condemned the killings.
“The attack on our security sector is an attack on the peace and stability of the country and the people they have sworn to serve and protect. We hope that justice will be served to the victims,” Lawyer Arlene Alangco, director of CHR Bicol, said in a statement.
The Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division earlier reported that Private John Paul Adalim and Private Mark June Esico, both assigned to the 31st Infantry Battalion, were buying goods at the public market in Barangay Cotmon on Monday morning (Feb. 20), when shot and killed by three armed men.
The two soldiers were part of the augmentation force in the search-and-rescue operations for the missing four passengers of the Cessna plane that crashed on Feb. 18 near the summit crater of Mount Mayon, the Army said.
Alangco said the victims were also part of the security detail of an ongoing construction project in the town.
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