Troops capture NPA rebel

From the Sun Star-Zamboanga (Dec 7): Troops capture NPA rebel

GOVERNMENT troops have captured a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel following a 30-minute clash in the hinterlands of Davao Oriental, a top military official said Sunday.

Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad said the clash ensued Sunday morning at Sitio Sibuli in the village of Maragtas, Lupon, Davao Oriental.

Baladad identified the captured NPA rebel as Joaquin Linma, 28, a resident of Marayag, Lupon, Davao Oriental.

Baladad said the firefight broke out as the troops from the Army’s 28th Infantry Battalion chanced upon a group of NPA rebels while on security patrol.

Baladad added that the troops were sent on security patrol in a bid to thwart extortion activities of the NPA rebels in the area.

The troops have recovered an M-16 Armalite rifle, one anti-tank landmine, personal belongings and subversive documents of high intelligence value, according to Baladad.

No one among the troops were either killed or wounded during the 30 minute firefight, he added.

The clash took two days after four NPA rebels separately surrendered in Davao and Compostela Valley areas.

They were identified as Jaime Pilacan, Jenny Rose Ingcal, Rene Dumalag, and Carlo Tagimla.

Eastmincom information officer Major Ezra Balagtey said Pilacan surrendered to the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion in the village of Ampawid, Laak, Compostela Valley province.

Balagtey said Pilacan turned over an M-14 rile rifle with several rounds of ammunition.

Ingcal and Dumalag yielded to the 84th Infantry Battalion based in Calinan, Davao City while Tagimla to the 73rd Infantry Battalion in the village of Manuel Peralta, Malita, Davao Occidental.

“Based on the testimonies of the surrenderees, they were disillusioned with the leadership of the organization, not only due to the hardships brought by the relentless pursuit operations of the military, but because of the order of the communist party to hit innocent civilians and other non-military objectives in pursuit of their violent goals,” Balagtey said.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/zamboanga/local-news/2014/12/07/troops-capture-npa-rebel-380726