Incident Summary:
02/01/2011: On Tuesday morning around 0630, in Trento, Agusan del Sur, Philippines, around 50 militants aboard two cargo trucks opened fire upon an anti-logging checkpoint. Two civilians, Fritz Mark Dimzon and Carlito, were killed and a policeman, Mario Sevillan, was injured while another policeman was taken hostage. The officer taken hostage was identified as George Cabatin. The militants also took government issued M16 rifles before fleeing. On 02/19/2011 the militants released Cabatin. No group claimed responsibility, but it was suspected that New People’s Army militants were responsible.
Overview
GTD ID:
201102010015
When:
2011-02-01
Country:
Philippines
Region:
Southeast Asia
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Agusan del Sur
City:
Trento
Location Details:
At a checkpoint in Trento, Agusan del Sur, Philippines.
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Type of Attack () |
Hostage Taking (Kidnapping) |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Police |
Name of Entity |
Trento Law Enforcement |
Specific Description |
A checkpoint |
Nationality of Target |
Philippines |
Additional Information
Hostages |
Yes |
Number of Hostages |
1 |
US Hostages |
0 |
Days of Kidnapping |
18 |
Outcome |
Hostage(s) released by perpetrators |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
No |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Weapon Details |
Unknown firearms 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 Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
2 Fatalities / 1 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
2 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
1 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
Philippine Daily Inquirer, “Civilians Die, Cop Wounded in NPA Attack in Agusan Sur,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 1, 2011, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/regions/view/20110201-317867/Civilians-die-cop-wounded-in-NPA-attack-in-Agusan-Sur. |
Jeffrey M. Tupas & Abigail Kwok, “Two Killed, Cop Abducted as NPA Rebels Storm Agusan Sur Checkpoint,” Philippine Daily Inquirer, February 1, 2011, http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20110201-317793/2-killed-cop-abducted-as-NPA-rebels-storm-Agusan-Sur-checkpoint. |
Washington Post, “Filipino Rebels Free Two Captives, Will Release Third,” Washington Post, February 20, 2011, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/20/AR2011022000595.html. |
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