A Philippine Air Force sergeant was killed when New People's Army militants attacked a military detachment in Batangas province.An undetermined number of NPA militants swooped down on the air force detachment on Saturday afternoon. Soldiers manning the detachment fired back but in the exchange of gunfire, the insurgents shot and killed Staff Sgt. Armando Silvestre. The militants fled after the brief gun battle.
The Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command strongly condemned the attack. Major Angelo Guzman said all soldiers in Batangas were ready for deployment to assist victims of Typhoon Nona. He said, "The attack also puts into question their (militant's) sincerity in unilateral ceasefire which they declared."
The attack occured three days before the start of the 12-day ceasefire declared by the Communist Party of the Philippines. On Friday, the government reciprocated the peace gesture and declared its own ceasefire, covering the same period from December 23 to January 3, in observance of the Yuletide season.