HAGONOY: A 46-year-old tricycle driver and his two children aged 24 and 15 were massacred while asleep in their house in this coastal town Thursday night, police said.
Superintendent Rizalino Andaya, Hagonoy police chief, said the victims – Andres Vengco, his son Michael, 24, and daughter Mary Rose, 15 – were shot in the head and different parts of the body.
Vengco’s four-year-old son John Lloyd was spared by the still unidentified attackers.
Police said the victims were asleep when the killers barged into their house in Barangay Sta. Monica here by kicking the main door at around 11.50pm Thursday. Vengco and his elder children were then shot.
A neighbour told police he heard noises in the Vengcos’ house followed by a series of gunshots, which he initially thought were ordinary firecrackers exploding.
Soldier slain in rebel attack
MANILA: The New People’s Army (NPA) violated its own ceasefire when it attacked an Army outpost and killed a soldier in Bukidnon Thursday night, the military said.
The NPA assault in Barangay Kalabugao, Impasugong town left Pfc Akmad Maruhom, a member of the 8th Infantry Battalion’s peace and development team based in the area, dead, according to 1Lt Norman Tagros, the Army unit’s spokesman.
“This is a clear violation of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ declaration of ceasefire. It only shows that they are deceptive in their pronouncements,” said Lt Col Romualdo Landingin, 8th IB commander.
Last Dec 18, the CCP’s Central Committee declared a unilateral truce from midnight of Dec 24 to Dec 26 and midnight of Dec 31 to Jan 2.
The government, for its part, declared a ceasefire with communist rebels from December 21 to January 15. Last month, the rebels also harassed the 8th IB team engaged in development projects, leaving a soldier wounded.
Soldiers face shooting lawsuit
BINALONAN: Police here were set to file charges of frustrated murder and obstruction of justice yesterday against three Army soldiers who were arrested after one of them reportedly fired his gun and hit a tricycle driver on Christmas Eve.
Chief Inspector June Galingan, acting Binalonan police chief, identified the three soldiers as Cpl Ryan Buenaobra, 31, and S/Sgts Rommel Pelovello and Freddie Gososo, both 36, all security officers of Lt Col Mary Christine Martinez of the Armed Forces’ 3rd Finance Service Unit at Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija.
Martinez was attending a family gathering together with her security officers when the incident happened.
Agencies
