On eve of Xmas ceasefire, 10 troops, boy killed in NSamar

Ten Army soldiers and a nine-year-old boy were killed in an ambush by suspected New People's Army rebels in Northern Samar Tuesday afternoon. The attack came less than 48 hours before the Christmas truce between government forces and communist insurgents was set to begin on December 16, military officials said. The truce will last until January 3 of next year. The return of National Democratic Front leader Luis Jalandoni from Europe early this month had fueled hopes of progress in peace talks between the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the NPA. The government had given Jalandoni, his wife and staff safe conduct passages during the ceasefire. The coming ceasefire was intended partly to be a confidence-building measure for the negotiations set to begin in February. But with the killings of the soldiers and child, military officials are doubting the sincerity of the NPA in complying with the bilateral truce, possibly poisoning the atmosphere for peace talks. "With what is happening right now, I think we are doubting their sincerity to comply with the suspension of military operation... but we'll be on defensive posture as per guidance of Gen. Villanueva," Tampos said. Officials said the ambush occurred about 3 p.m. Tuesday at the boundary of Las Navas and Catubig towns when elements of the 63rd Infantry Battalion were returning to their temporary base located about five kilometers from the ambush site. "Our troops were preparing for the ceasefire... they were going back to defensive mode and it's really unfortunate that the enemies took advantage [of the situation]," said Lt. Gen. Ralph Villanueva, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Central Command. The soldiers killed were all enlisted personnel. The civilian fatality was identified as one Joven Kabe, 9. Two other Army soldiers — Cpl. Ricardo Cabral and PFC Heder Pabillon — were wounded in the incident. At the time of the ambush, the soldiers were just walking toward their headquarters, said Major Christopher Tampos, spokesman for the AFP CentCom. They were apparently caught by surprise. — RSJ/KBK/HS, GMANews.TV