4 soldiers killed in Lanao del Norte ambush

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Four soldiers, out on a humanitarian mission, were killed while another was wounded in an ambush in Barangay Lininding in Munai, Lanao del Norte on Friday morning, January 23.

Officials of the Western Mindanao Command and the Lanao del Norte Provincial Police Office told reporters at noon Friday that Staff Sgt. Diosito Araya, Sgt. Gilbert Arnoza, Sgt. Junel Calgas and another initially identified only as Private Laniton, all died instantly from bullet wounds in different parts of their bodies. 

The attack left Cpl. Rollen Dela Cruz wounded, immediately transported by emergency responders to a hospital for treatment.

Local executives and Maranao community leaders told reporters the non-uniformed Araya, Arnoza, Calgas, Laniton and Dela Cruz were together in a Blue Toyota Avanza, on their way to a secluded area in Munai, for a non-tactical peacebuilding engagement, when they were attacked by remaining members of the now defunct Dawlah Islamiya who have not availed yet of WestMinCom’s reconciliation program for violent religious extremists.

Their vehicle was to cross through a shallow river in Purok 1 in Barangay Lininding when their assailants, armed with assault rifles and positioned in the rocky sides of the waterway, opened fire and scampered away.

Lt. Gen. Donald Gumiran, commander of WestMinCom, said the slain soldiers belong to the 1st Civil-Military Operations Battalion of the 1st Infantry Division.

"This is a very sad day for us," Gumiran told reporters via text message.

The 1st CMO Battalion is popular for its community service missions in the towns and cities covered by the 1st ID. The unit is also actively supporting efforts of local government units in reintroducing to mainstream society former members of local terror groups who have returned to the fold of law.