New People’s Army fighters during a ceasefire period. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
ECHAGUE, Isabela — The Benito Tesorio Command of the New People’s Army admitted staging the Jan. 30 ambush which killed two Army soldiers here.
The attackers killed Army corporals Daryl Camangeg and Virgilio Herrera, members of the 86th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division in Gamu town.
The rebels said in a statement on Tuesday that they were retaliating for alleged military atrocities in the area.
Camangeg and Herrera were part of a unit led by Staff Sgt. Arnel Rivero, which were accompanying three officials of a Benguet village to a peace and order meeting, when they were waylaid.
Camangeg and Herrera were riding a motorcycle when they were attacked.
“It is unfortunate that our soldiers were ambushed while serving the people. Our troops were there to conduct peace and development activities as part of the national government’s development efforts,” said Maj. Gen. Paul Atal, 5ID commander. SFM/rga