6 troops sanctioned over NPA attack in Mindoro

Four soldiers were discharged while two officers were relieved due to "lapses" in the March 6 encounter with communist rebels in Oriental Mindoro which resulted to the death of 11 Army troops and the wounding of eight others. It was the deadliest attack of New People's Army (NPA) rebels on government troops in recent history. The NPA had just marked its 41st founding anniversary last Monday, March 29. "The [Board of Inquiry] found that there were indeed operational lapses on the part of the operating troops," said Army spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres in a statement. Those ordered discharged were Pfc. Guerero dela Cruz, Pfc. Glenn Guibone, Pfc. Obar Ercilla, and Pvt. Juralph Culili, who all survived the ambush. They were all members of the 23rd Division Reconnaissance Company of the 2nd Infantry Division. Torres said the four were discharged for violation of Articles 76 and 97 or Conduct Prejudicial to Good Order and Military Discipline. Sacked from their position, on the other hand, were Lt. Col. Sino Cruz, the commander of the 4th Infantry Battalion, and 1st Lt. Romel Toriado, commander of the 23rd DRC. Cruz would be replaced by Col. Johnny Macaranas. Loose supervision Aside from casualties, the Army also lost 19 high powered firearms in the ambush, which occurred before dawn in Barangay Panaytayan in Mansalay town. Torres blamed the incident to "loose supervision" by the officers of the involved unit. He said based on the investigation by the Army BOI, the unit failed to assess comprehensively the situation prior to the encounter. "The troops failed to accurately assess the indicators of an enemy offensive like the presence of the three suspicious persons at the encounter site who were flashing on and off their flashlights prior to the incident and pretending to be looking for their carabao," he said. Torres defended their decision to discharge the survivors of the attack. "We understand the plight of the survivors recommended to be discharged from the service. However, there are certain [standard operating procedures], Rules of Engagement, and Articles of War that we, as soldiers, have to live by whether in combat or while doing administrative duties. And soldiers understand fully well that any infraction thereof has corresponding penalties," he said. As of posting time, the wounded soldiers are still recuperating at the V. Luna Medical Hospital. They were already visited by Maj. Gen. Jorge V. Segovia, commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, and awarded with Wounded Personnel Medals. They were also granted financial assistance. - KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV