Rebel killed in Samar encounter

From the Leyte Samar Daily Express (Jun 8): Rebel killed in Samar encounter

TACLOBAN CITY- A member of the rebel group, New People’s Army, was killed in one of the encounters that occurred in Samar Island last Tuesday afternoon.

Captain Amado Gutierrez, spokesperson of the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, said that the separate encounters between government troops and the rebels took place in remote villages of Matuguinao, Samar and Las Navas in Northern Samar.

Both towns are still considered by the government troops where presence of the NPA remains to be felt.

Gutierrez said that the encounter at the vicinity of Barangay Poponton, Las Navas last Tuesday at around 4 p.m. has resulted to the death of one rebel and the recovery of two M16 rifles.

Members of the 63rd Infantry Battalion, which is based Brgy. Upong, Catubig, also in Northern Samar and under the command of Lt.Col.Arvin Lagamon, where in the area as part of their peace and security operations when they chanced upon the undetermined numbers of NPA members which resulted to a fire fight.

On that same day, another skirmish between the two warring sides took place in Matuguinao, Samar with no casualty or injury reported to either side, Gutierrez said.

The fire fight in Barangay Ligaya of said town took place at around 3p.m. and lasted for 15 minutes with the rebels going to different directions on their way to escape, the spokesperson of the 8th ID said.

Members of the 43rd Infantry Battalion, based in Brgy.Cagsumjie, Sta. Margarita and headed by Lt.Col. Glenn Jun Calambuhay, also in Samar, were conducting their security patrol when they saw the rebels that immediately resulted to the fire fight, Gutierrez said.

Meantime, Major General Gerardo Layug, commanding general officer of the 8th ID, said that they would intensify their campaign on internal security of the region, particularly the Samar Island, against the rebels.

“This is the constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces of the Philippines so we cannot afford to waste time. Our mission and goal is to make the island of Samar a manageable conflict and development-ready just like Biliran, Bohol, Leyte and Southern Leyte. We are determined to do this to serve the people of Samar so we can attain a just and lasting peace,” Layug, in an emailed statement, said.

http://leytesamardaily.net/2013/06/rebel-killed-in-samar-encounter/