Communist rebels kill soldier in southern Philippines murder of rebel commander's daughter (Roundup)

Oct 26, 2009, 10:32 GMT

   Manila - Communist rebels shot dead an army soldier accused of killing the daughter of a guerrilla commander in the southern Philippines, the military said Monday.

   Two civilians were also injured in the attack Sunday in a religious activity of the Philippine Independent Church, a Christian sect, in Davao City, 990 kilometres south of Manila.

   Major General Reynaldo Mapagu, an army infantry commander, said Corporal Orly Pedregoza was 'defenseless' when he was attacked while he was talking to friends at the religious gathering.

   Mapagu condemned the killing, saying, 'This is a total disregard to the safety of civilians and contempt to a peaceful gathering in a community.'

   Communist rebels owned the killing of Pedregoza, who was one of four soldiers accused of kidnapping and killing the 20-year-old daughter of senior guerrilla leader Leoncio Pitao in March.

   Rebel spokesman Simon Santiago said Pedregoza was killed when he fought communist guerrillas sent to arrest him for his involvement in the murder of Rebelyn Pitao.

   'Pedregoza was armed, dangerous and gave battle to the arresting team that resulted to his death,' he said, contradicting the military's claim that the soldier was unarmed.

   Rebelyn Pitao, an elementary school teacher, was abducted on March 4 in Davao City.

   Her naked body was found the next day in a shallow creek in nearby Carmen town. She was believed to have been raped and tortured before she was killed.

   The military investigated the accusations against Pedregoza and three other soldiers, but later dismissed the allegations as part of the communist movement's smear campaign.

   Communist rebels have in the past killed soldiers, police officers and officials as well as government authorities for alleged crimes against the public.

   The guerrillas have been fighting the Philippine government since the late 1960s, making the movement one of the longest-running leftist insurgencies in Asia.