IN a terror campaign that Philippine security forces described as a “despicable act,” the communist New People’s Army (NPA) staged another bombing attack in the Bicol region that killed one of the country’s rising athletes and his cousin while injuring his 16-years old nephew last June 6, 2021.
Field reports from the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom), Philippine Army, and the Philippine National Police (PNP), identified the latest fatalities as, Kieth Absalon, 21, and his cousin, Nolven Absalon, 40. Nolven’s 16-years old son, Daniel (Chrisbin in other reports), was also wounded in the left arm during the incident that happened past 6:00 am at Purok 4, Bgy. Anas, Masbate City.
The victims were innocently riding on their bicycles on their way to Bgy. B. Titong, when they were blasted by the anti-personnel mine (APM) planted by the terrorists. The blast hit Kieth right in the face, killing him instantly.
The NPA unit under ‘Eddie Rosero, aka, ‘Star,’ head of ‘Sentro de Grabidad’ (SDG), L1, Kilusang Probinsiya (KL) 4, was believed to be behind the attack.
Sunday’s bombing attack is the second in Masbate province thus far after another NPA bomb detonated in Bgy. Calumpang, Cawayan, Masbate last June 1, 2021. Fortunately, there was no report of any casualty.
Kieth, who was just at the prime of his life, was seen as among the country’s rising football stars as a member of the FEU (Far Eastern University) Men’s Football Team and Malaya Football Club (MFC). He was also named ‘MVP’ (most valuable player) in a 2016 juniors football event after leading his team to victory.
A few hours after learning of the tragic news, MFC in a Twitter post, said:
“Our hearts are broken as we bid farewell to a brilliant football player of Malaya FC and FEU men’s football team. A born leader, follower of the highest order, a kind, gentle, and respectful soul. Thank you for everything, #KiethAbsalon. Rest easy in that big football pitch in the sky.”
That the NPA, the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), was behind the attack was not in doubt after government troops, headed by the 2ND Infantry Battalion, caught up with some of the terrorists in Bgy. Mapiña, Masbate City, resulting to a brief firefight. The clash led to the recovery of an “assortment of improvised explosive devices” (IEDs) and “bomb components,” according to the initial report from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 5.
Even as government forces are pursuing the terrorists behind the attack in Masbate, Solcom area commander, Lt. General Antonio ‘Jun’ Parlade, said that another bomb, planted by a separate NPA terrorist group, also exploded past 10:00 am of the same day in Bgy. Homapon, Legazpi City, Albay province.
The blast resulted to the injury of 4 more civilians, who were passing by on board a car.
Injured and undergoing treatment due to shrapnel wounds are Romeo and Visitacion Mariscotes, both of legal age, an 11-years old girl and, lawyer Merda Paterson, a retired Ombudsman investigator, a report from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) said.
Citing field reports from his men, Parlade said the NPAs also torched a Globe cell tower in the area before rigging a lamp post with another APM that went off as the victims were passing by.
Capt. Ronnel Cabagnan, head of the Civil-Military Operations of the Army’s 31st Infantry Battalion, said the victims were on board a car that was negotiating the road near the Delta Homes subdivision in the sub-village of Tico-Tico in Bgy. Homapon when the explosion occurred.
Not the first incident this year
The NPA’s bombing attack last June 6 in Masbate and Legazpi City were not the first incident in Bicol this year, official records show.
Last April 3, 2021, in Bgy. Aliang, Ligao City, Albay, Parlade said NPA terrorists also planted another bomb that wounded 2 civilians; another NPA bomb injured a civilian government employee after it exploded in the town of Milagros.
On Labor Day, May 1, two civilians were killed and 5 others were wounded when the NPA staged a bombing attack in the town of Uson, bringing civilian casualties from NPA bombings in Bicol to 4 killed and 10 wounded thus far.
In a statement last June 3, 2021, the Eduardo Olbarra Command of the CPP-NPA responsible for terrorist activities in Camarines Sur, proudly acknowledged two bombing attacks in Bgy. Cambalido, Libmanan last May 30, 2021, that purportedly injured 4 soldiers, including one ‘Sgt. Dominguez.’
In an FB post after the attack in Masbate, the Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines (PCBL), said:
“The Philippine Campaign to Ban Landmines condemns the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that function like anti-personnel mines by armed groups.
“While waiting for the official police report of this tragic incident, PCBL stresses that civilians will always be at risk of falling victims to IEDs that similarly function like the anti-personnel mines.
“IEDs that are designed like landmines to be exploded by the presence, proximity or contact of a person is banned by international law.
“IEDs that function like landmines do not make our communities safer. Stop the use of this inhumane and indiscriminate weapon!”
For her part, presidential communications undersecretary and National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) spokesperson, Lorraine Badoy, challenged the CPP-NPA’s front organizations in Congress, the ‘Makabayan Bloc,’ to denounce the incident in Masbate.
“The (NTF-ELCAC) joins the Filipino people in our collective Rage against the murder of Keith Absalon and Nolven Absalon and frustrated murder of the minor that was with them by the CPP NPA NDF in a most blatant display of disrespect for the IHL (International Humanitarian Law)…
“… And finally, we are challenging the self-professed human rights defenders in our midst—Karapatan, NUPL, NUJP, NUSP, CEGP, Kabataan, Bayan Muna, ACT, Gabriela, Ibon, Save Our Schools Network,—more precisely Carlos Zarate, Eufemia Cullamat, Arlene Castro, Ferdinand Gaite, Sarah Elago, people who take great pride in imagining themselves as having been duly elected by the Filipino people—to condemn this blatant violation of human rights and the International Humanitarian Laws that ended the young life of Keith Absalon and his uncle…
“… We await with bated breath the response of the Makabayan Bloc and the self-proclaimed human rights defenders in our midst,” Badoy said.
‘A sign of weakness, desperation’
Despite the ferocity of these attacks by the NPA, security officials in the region are left unimpressed.
Col. Aldwine Almase, Brigade Commander, 903RD Infantry Brigade, described the incidents as “cowardly acts.”
“These were conducted to intimidate the populace, the local government officials and other sectors of the society who are now aware and denouncing the unacceptable ways and objectives of the terrorist NPAs and their cohorts,” Almase said, adding:
“They are attempting to regain the influence they enjoyed and the support they get from the masses they have deceived…their desperation will continue as the Phil. Army will continue to hunt down the perpetrators and even intensify security operations against these terrorists.”
MGen. Henry A. Robinson, Joint Task Force (JTF) Bicolandia commander, not only condemned the attacks but also stressed that the bombings were manifestations of the CTG’s “weakening capability as they can no longer face the security forces head on.”
“The incidents in Masbate and Legazpi City were violations of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) as the terrorists targeted innocent civilians,” Robinson also pointed out.
“Sinasabi nilang pinuprotektahan nila ang masa at binabatikos nila ang gobyerno dahil sa mga pagkukulang nito pero ang totoo, ang kanilang grupo ang nagpapahirap sa mamamayan dahil pansariling interes lamang ang kanilang iniisip,” the official added.
“The JTF Bicolandia also believes that the recent incidents were carried out to divert government troops’ focus on the on-going combat operations in Sorsogon where CTG hideouts were overran, materials and supplies were seized.
“In the third district of Masbate… massive surrenderees were recorded, firearms, volumes of CTG materials and documents were seized which disrupted the terrorist group’s ill plans and unlawful activities,” Robinson enumerated further.
Parlade, for his part, said the NPA is has become “careless” in “taking desperate actions even at the expense of killing civilians,” as its membership in Solcom’s area of responsibility (Bicol and Southern Tagalog) continues to decline. He said that in the last two months alone, a total of 117 NPA regulars have surrendered to the government.
“These incidents are indicators that the NPAs are in panic mode. They are losing their comrades from the series of surrenders and the lost of their top cadres,” Parlade averred.
He pointed to the killing last May 21, 2021 in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna, of Rommel Rizza and two of his henchmen after a joint police and military operation.
Rizza, aka, Jomar, is the head of the Regional Special Operations Group (RSOG) of the CPP-NPA in Southern Tagalog and the region’s main regional guerrilla unit (MRGU).
Parlade also bared that last June 3, two more ranking officials of the CPP-NPA operating in Southern Tagalog were arrested in Romblon while taking shelter due to Typhoon ‘Dante’ on their way to Quezon province.
The official identified the suspects as alias ‘Elian,’ the deputy secretary of SMRA (Southern Military Regional Area) 4B based in the Bondoc Peninsula and his wife, alias ‘Fiel,’ regional political officer. He said a grenade and a 9mm pistol were also seized from the suspects.