4th Infantry Division (ID) in its report identified the slain soldier as Staff Sergeant Darryl Jay A Rivera, 29th IB assistant patrol base commander. The injured CAA was identified as John Odon.
The victims who were on-board a habal-habal motorcycle were ambushed by the undetermined number of fully armed members of the NPA while traveling to their detachment in Sitio Lusong, Barangay Puting Bato, Cabadbaran of said province.
“The 4ID together with the peace loving Filipino people denounce the treachery and barbaric nature of the communist terrorist group (CTG).
This is a desperate attempt and a classic strategy of the communist terrorist group (CTG) to disrupt programs and projects for the people, the 4th ID in a statement Monday (March 21) said.
Rivera, one of the recipients of meritorious promotion for an encounter in Zapanta Valley, Agusan del Norte died fighting after sustaining gunshot wounds while Odon managed to escape after being slightly wounded.
The said personnel have just finished its coordination for livelihood projects with Local Government Unit (LGU) Cabadbaran City intended for the residents of Brgy. Puting Bato. They were on their way back to their patrol base when the unfortunate incident happened.
“We offer our sincerest sympathies to the bereaved family of late SSg Rivera. Rest assured that his sacrifice will not be put in vain and we will not stop until the perpetrators are brought to justice,” 4th ID said.
The military lauded Rivera’s dedication to service and courage to facilitate livelihood opportunities for the people under the Army’s community support program.
“We have been partnering with different stakeholders, the LGUs, LGAs and private entities to uplift the situation and well-being of our people in the far flung communities under the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC).”
The 4ID troops are hunting down the perpetrators.