Soldiers Ambushed In Sagada, 1 Soldier Died While 6 Others Were Wounded

A military convoy was ambushed on Sunday night (November 30) in the tourist town of Sagada in Mt. Province. Early reports say that one soldier was killed during the attack while 6 others were injured and taken to the Bontoc General Hospital (BGH) in the capital town of Bontoc.

The soldiers were aboard two vehicles (a military truck and an Isuzo Elf ) and were traveling through sitio Pegew in barangay Tetep-an when suspected communist rebels ambushed them. The attack happened between 10:30 and 11:00 Sunday night.

According to Senior Superintendent Oliver Enmodias of the Mt. Province Provincial Police Office, the soldiers are members of the Army's 54th Infantry Battalion and they were on their way home after attending a Youth Leadership Summit at the Sagada National High School.

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One of those wounded being currently treated at the Bontoc General Hospital. Photo by Kinad Waytan.

The attackers are suspected to be members of the New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Part of the Philippines (CPP).

The soldier who died from the attack has been identified as Private First Class (Pfc) Moses Ing-inga reportedly of barangay Can-eo in Bontoc. Those wounded are William Agpawan, Albert Paleyan, Nathan Cade Focasan, Jimmy Apao, Ian Mango, and Hanzel Onnon. An investigation is ongoing as to how the ambush happened. There are some who believe that the attackers were tipped with regards to the arrival and departure of the soldiers from the school.

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