Soldiers capture wounded rebel in bus

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 5): Soldiers capture wounded rebel in bus

Government troops captured a wounded member of the New People’s Army (NPA) on board a passenger bus during a checkpoint at Sitio Logdeck, Barangay Amor Cruz, Laak in Compostela Valley Monday night.

Col. Buanaventura Pascual, commander of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade said that elements of the 72nd Infantry Battalion were conducting a checkpoint in the area when they flagged down a bus and arrested Jonathan Bustamante alias “Ka Natnat”.

Pascual said Bustamante, with forest bushes wounds all over his body, immediately confessed to be a communist rebel and that he was among those who previously engaged in series of armed encounters in Laak areas.

He said the rebel also admitted to have hid his issued AK47 Automatic Rifle at Sitio Cogon, Barangay Baluarte, also in Laak.

Pascual said the firearm was recovered in the area in a follow-up operation by members of the 60th Infantry Battalion.

He said the establishment of checkpoint was triggered by a report of concerned civilian passenger about the presence of suspicious personality aboard the bus.

“The checkpoint further allows the possible interception of withdrawing NPAs in the area during the successful implementation of Internal Peace and Security Operation (IPSO) last May 31, in response to the timely information provided by the constituents of the area,” he said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=531320