Military accuses NPA of burning cadaver of slain soldier

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – The military has accused the New People’s Army of committing “unconscionable and dastardly act” when rebels allegedly burned the cadaver of an Army soldier they killed in an ambush on Friday.

Lt. Col. Patricio Amata, commander of the 73rd Infantry Battalion, said Corporal Noel Pascual and Sergeant Johnson Dumasia were on two motorcycles and were passing by Sitio Paet in Barangay Alegria in Alabel, Sarangani around 9 a.m. Friday when fired at by NPA rebels.

He said the soldiers were unarmed as they were only doing some marketing chores and were not able to fire back.

Pascual, according to Amata, died instantly while the wounded Dumasia “managed to survive by jumping from his motorcycle and rolling off a ravine.”

“Not contented at being able to kill Pascual, they burned his cadaver including the two motorcycles used by the victims,” Amata said.

He said the incident showed how “inhuman and barbaric” the NPA can become to achieve its objective of inflicting harm on soldiers.