El Toro Marine Shot and Killed in Philippines

A U.S. Marine from the Marine Corps Air Station in El Toro was shot in the back of the head and killed in a town near the Subic Bay Naval Base, a Navy spokesman said today.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility in the Friday night attack, but authorities have evidence that communist guerrillas planned to kill Americans before talks begin this month on extending the base’s lease.

The incident took place late Friday night in the liberty town of Olongapo near the base, located about 50 miles west of Manila, said Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Mukri, spokesman for the Subic facility.

Mukri refused to identify the soldier pending notification of next of kin. Local police identified him as Sgt. John Fredette, 34.

Mukri said the soldier belonged to a Marine fighter/attack squadron based in El Toro, which is currently conducting training exercises in Subic.

The incident is under investigation by both U.S. naval and Philippine authorities. No details of the shooting were available.

Mukri said that, as a result of the incident, off-base leave has been canceled and non-essential off-base travel has been restricted for U.S. military personnel in the country.

Filipino and U.S. authorities have been concerned after local military officials reported an alleged member of the communist New People’s Army hit squad was arrested in Olongapo last week and four other members of the team were still at large.

Documents seized from the arrested man, Dionisio Bendoy, indicated a plan by the insurgents to assassinate Americans in the city before the opening of talks on May 14 on the future of six U.S. military facilities in the Philippines.

The United States maintains the Subic base, Clark Air Base and four other smaller facilities in the country under a 1947 pact that expires in 1991.

Last September, guerrillas killed two civilian employees of Camp O’Donnell, a U.S. Air Force post near Clark.

In October 1987, communist rebels gunned down three Americans in simultaneous attacks outside Clark.