PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, July 19 – Two Marines were killed in the northern Palawan town of Roxas in a broad daylight attack suspected to be carried out by the New People’s Army (NPA) Wednesday morning, a senior police official told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The attack on the two Marine privates, whose names remain confidential for their families, came following Tuesday afternoon’s roadside bomb attack that injured one Marine soldier in Barangay Tarusan, Bataraza.
Palawan Police Provincial Director Senior Superintendent Gabriel Lopez told the PNA that the two victims belong to the Marine Battalion Landing Team 12 (MBLT-12) stationed in Roxas.
“Our field personnel in Roxas are still investigating in the area, but initial reports said the two Marines were shot around 8:15 in the morning,” said Lopez.
He said the they were shot and killed by two suspected NPA members near the Magara Elementary School in Barangay Magara, Roxas.
“The incident was reported to us by a civilian. Apparently, they are on their way back to their detachment in Magara from the public market,” said Lopez.
One victim suffered five gunshot wounds in the body, and the other three with one bullet in the head, according to Lopez.
“We’re confirming this; their bodies are now in the morgue for autopsy,” he said.
The gunmen reportedly ran towards the mountain in the vicinity of Sitio Iraan, Magara.
They were described by witnesses as young and thin in body built.
Lopez said the attack could be a retaliative move by the NPA following the military’s capture of their training camp in Barangay Samariñana, Brooke’s Point in southern Palawan last month.
“It could be that, or it could also be because of the upcoming state of the nation address (SONA) of President (Rodrigo) Duterte,” said Lopez. (Celeste Anna R. Formoso/PNA)
