NPA suffers five dead in clashes

From Malaya (Jan 24): NPA suffers five dead in clashes

THREE communist rebels died and three government troops were injured in a clash in Tigbao town, Zamboanga del Sur on Wednesday. Members of the Army’s 14th Scout Ranger Company were on security operation when they clashed with at least 80 rebels at the vicinity of Sitio Maimbong in Mati village around 2:45 p.m.

Maj. Edgardo Amores, spokesman of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division based in the province, said the rebels belong to the Section Committee Kara and Regional Guerilla Unit of the Western Regional Party Committee under one Natan and one Elyong. Amores said the two sides traded gunfire for about an hour and 20 minutes. He said the rebels left their three dead comrades.  Soldiers found an AK-47 rifle, M14 rifle, and M1 Garand rifle.

In Sorsogon, two NPA assassins were killed during a firefight with soldiers in Gubat town yesterday morning. One of the slain rebels was identified as Richie Espenida, alias Ka Bilog, a member of the NPA Sparu – a unit involved in assassinations or liquidations.

A ranking NPA leader surrendered in the Cordilleras last Monday. Connie Santiago Valera alias James/Yasser, 29, male, of Pobalcio Lacub, Abra, gave himself up to police and military forces in Sitio Abubutok, Barangay Lenneng Licuan-Baay, in Abra. Valera was one of the leaders of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines. He is No. 5 in the 4th quarter PNP Order of Battle for 2012.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the government wants the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) to show sincerity in their pursuit of peace in light of the NPA attacks in Bukidnon, Zamboanga del Norte, and Camarines Sur in the past few days.

“We would like to see more sincerity on the part of the NPA. The burden of showing their sincerity in pursuing peace is no longer with us. Again, we have stated that we have shown our preference for peace,” he said.

http://malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/22655-npa-suffers-five-dead-in-clashes