The Dec.13 incident killed a cop and 3 civilians
TACLOBAN CITY-More than a month after the deadly ambush incident in Borongan City took place, the regional office of the Commission on Human Rights(CHR-8) has yet to come up with its report on the incident.
But lawyer Desiree Pontejos, CHR-8 regional director, said that they can finish their investigation report by next month saying they have to complete their probe so they could provide financial assistance to the victims of the December 13 ambush incident.
To recall, members of the New People’s Army (NPA) ambushed a group of policemen on board of their service vehicle in Barangay Libuton, four kms away from the city proper of Borongan.
This resulted to the deaths of a policeman, Patrolman Mark Jerome Rama, and three civilians, Agripena Traboco, Anthony Balayanto, and Mary Grace Rapada.
Four other policemen and 11 civilians were hurt in the same incident.
The NPA’s Efren Martires Command acknowledged that they were behind on the ambush incident wherein two explosive improvised devices were detonated by them followed by series of gun fires.
They, however, claimed that the civilians were either killed or wounded due to a ‘vehicular’ accident and not due to the ambush.
The civilians were separately on board of a motorcycle and an L-300 trailing behind the service vehicle of the policemen.
“We have yet to complete our investigation on the incident as our investigators are still finishing it. Hopefully, we can finish the report by February,” Pontejos said.
What they have is their ‘quick response’ team report, a narrative on the incident conducted by their investigators.
According to their report, about 30 NPA rebels whose ages ranged from 18 to 21 years old and Cebuano-speaking, were behind of the ambush who planted EIDs on the roadside.
A 10-wheeler truck and three motorcycles were also seen parked in the area of the incident a day before the ambush, the CHR’s report said, quoting a village official that they have interviewed.
Pontejos said that once established that the civilians and the police officer were killed due to the ambush, they will provide financial assistance of P10,000.
The CHR has earlier issued a statement condemning the incident.
(JOEY A. GABIETA)
