Three civilians, including a distinguished botanist, were killed at an encounter between soldiers and rebel forces in neighboring Kananga town last Monday.
The fatalities were part of a five-man team conducting a bio-diversity survey at the Leyte Geothermal Production Field (LGPF) reservation area when they were caught in the crossfire.
Killed were Dr. Leonard L. Co of the University of the Philippines; Sofronio G. Cortez, forest guard of Energy Development Corp.’s (EDC) Environment Management Division; and Julius Borromeo.
One member of the team, Policarpio Balute, was wounded while another one, Roniño Gibe, a contractual forester of EDC’s Community Partnerships Department, was not hurt but experienced shock.
Dr. Co was working as a consultant of EDC on preserving endangered plant species. Borromeo and Balute are both members of Tongonan Farmers’ Association and served as guides to the team. They were at a clearing within a forested area near well pad 403 in Sitio Mahiao, Barangay Lim-ao when gunfire burst between the two forces.
Lt. Col. Federico Tutaan, commanding officer of 19th IB which conducted the operation, said his men didn’t see the civilians. He doesn’t discount the possibility they may have been hit by friendly fire, but it could also be that they were shot by the insurgents. The only way to find out, he said, is to wait for the investigation result of the Scene of the Crime Operatives.
Lt. Col. Tutaan explained they were on heightened alert since October 12 upon receiving reports from EDC’s intelligence network of rebel sightings in Barangays Paglaum and Tinagbuan as well as Sitio Palale. The enemies, numbering about 30, are led by Ka Tibor and Ka Matus, leaders of the Communist Party of the Phils. Visayas Region Executive Committee, according to the intelligence report. - pna
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Topic: NPA Encounter in Leyte (Read 924 times)