Young PMA officer killed in Misamis Oriental encounter

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 8): Young PMA officer killed in Misamis Oriental encounter

CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City -- A young army officer died at the military hospital here for serious gunshot wounds inflicted in an encounter with the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels Friday noon in Misamis Oriental, the military said Saturday.

Maj. Leo E. Bongosia, spokesperson of the army’s 4th Infantry Division, said the 2nd Lt. Dennis Avila, 24, of PMA Class 2011, and a native of Tarlac, succumbed to serious gunshot wounds while being treated at the military hospital here around 7:00 p.m. Friday.

He said Avila was one of the military personnel of the army’s 58th Infantry Battalion who was wounded during a running gun battle with NPA rebels in the bordering towns of Claveria in Misamis Oriental and Malitbog in Bukidnon Friday afternoon.

The other wounded army officer was Private First Class Ales Andilong, also of the 58th IB. Andilong who was also brought to the military hospital here is now out of danger, Bongosia added.

He said that Avila’s team was on combat operations in the farming village of Abacahan in Mat-I, Claveria, Misamis Oriental when they encountered about 30 fully armed rebels resulting in a running gun battle that started past 11:00 a.m. Friday.

Bongosia said that Avila’s team pursued the withdrawing NPA rebels toward the borders of Malitbog in a more than an hour intermittent gun battle that resulted in the wounding of Avila and Andilong.

Avila was hit on the side of the body that exited through his shoulder while Andilong was hit on the thighs. Helicopter gunship retrieved the wounded from the encounter site only at about 4:00 p.m. due to heavy rains in the area, Bongosia added.

He said Avila was directly assigned at the army’s 58th IB in Claveria, Misamis Oriental after he graduated from the PMA in 2011.

According to Bongosia, the military mourned the lost one of the most promising military officers here whose courage and dedication to duty were proven during his short stint at the army’s 58th IB.

Bongosia said that Avila’s remains would be airlifted to Manila anytime since his parents and relatives were already informed of his sad fate.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=532407