3 soldiers die in foiling raid on Albay airport work site

From Malaya (21 May): 3 soldiers die in foiling raid on Albay airport work site

THREE soldiers died and another was injured in a clash yesterday in Albay between government troops and New People’s Army rebels who were allegedly plotting to attack the construction site of an international airport.

Maj. Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said the troops from the 2nd Infantry Battalion were dispatched to conduct patrol in the wake of a “very imminent attack” on the airport.

At around 8:30 a.m., the soldiers caught up with about 40 rebels at Manilala village in Camalig town. The encounter site   in Alobo village in Daraga town, said Guzman.

“Based on the report we got, an attack was very imminent. The intelligence report said the NPAs will attack the airport so we dispatched soldiers to patrol, leading to the encounter,” said Guzman.

A military official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the encounter site is only about two or three kilometers from the airport which the rebels raided in May 18 last year and during which they burned some P100 million in equipment.

Guzman said the rebels were trying to extort a “big amount” of money from the contractor, Sunwest Corp.

“We foiled an attack (on the airport),” Guzman said. “Just imagine if we were not able to get the information (on the rebel plan), and they were to raid (the airport) tonight or tomorrow and millions of equipment (were destroyed), this may discourage investors.”

Quoting 2nd IB commander Lt. Col. Andrew Costelo, Guzman said the rebels exploded a landmine before opening fire at the soldiers. He said the soldiers also lost a K3 squad automatic weapon and two M16 rifles to the rebels.

Guzman said sporadic fighting between the two sides were ongoing as of 1 p.m. He said the skirmishes have already left an undetermined number of casualties on the rebel side.

In Zamboanga del Sur, NPA rebels conducted a house to house search in Camp Blessing village in Bayog town around 7:15 a.m. Sunday and carted away five homemade shotguns and cellphones.

A military report said the atrocity involved 40 rebels belonging to the Section Committee Feliciano “B” of the NPA.

The report said that before the incident, the rebels held two of the residents, Ronnie Gamoc alias Momoy and Romeo Tacloba alias Kado, a village official. The two were later released unharmed.

It said the rebels were looking for Gamoc’s brother, Dencio, who the rebels believe has a firearm.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/index.php/news/nation/31458-3-soldiers-die-in-foiling-raid-on-albay-airport-work-site