Incident Summary:
05/20/2010: On Thursday morning at about 1040, in Santo Nino, Bula, Camarines Sur, Philippines, armed assailants targeted four construction workers with a roadblock, then set fire to and damaged two construction vehicles they were driving. Shortly afterward, the assailants kidnapped then tortured, fired upon and killed two off duty paramilitary members who happened by. The victims were identified as Edwin Belando (47) and Stanly Portuges (36) and were retrieved in Taisan village in Bula town, through information provided by village leader Herminigildo Bolante. Colonel Leoncio Cirunay, commander of the 22nd Infantry Battalion, which administers the militiamen in the Bicol region, received information that the rebels burned the construction equipment of Sunwest Development Corporation simply because it was owned by Zaldy Co, a businessman who is identified with the Ako Bicol partylist. No group claimed responsibility, but authorities believed that New People's Army/Communist Party of Philippines (NPA-CPP) was responsible.
Overview
GTD ID:
201005200002
When:
2010-05-20
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Southeast Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Camarines Sur
City:
Near Santo Nino
Location Details:
The attack took place in Santo Nino, Bula, Camarines Sur, Philippines.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Type of Attack () |
Facility/Infrastructure Attack |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Business |
Name of Entity |
Sunwest Development Corporation |
Specific Description |
Two construction vehicles |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Target Type: Police |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
Two paramilitary members were targeted in the attack. |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
2 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) killed (not during rescue attempt) |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Yes |
Extent of Property Damage |
Minor (likely < $1 million) |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Incendiary |
Arson/Fire |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Weapon Details |
Unknown firearms and an unknown incendiary device were used in the attack. |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Who
Perpetrator Group Information
Group Name |
Group Sub-name |
Claimed Responsibility |
New People's Army (NPA) (suspected) |
Front Committee 6 (CPP-NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee) |
No |
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
2 Fatalities / 0 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
2 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
0 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
National Counterterrorism Center, "Two Paramilitary Members Kidnapped and Killed in Assault and Armed Attack by Suspected NPA-CPP in Bula, Camarines Sur, Philippines," Worldwide Incidents Tracking System, October 11, 2010. |
Thai Press Reports, “Philippines NPA Kills Two Captive Militiamen,” Philippines News Agency, May 21, 2010. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties