Two members of armed group were killed and a soldier was
wounded in a brief firefight with heavily armed men in Wao, Lanao del Sur, on
Thursday, the military here said Friday.
Maj. Gen. Edmundo Pangilinan, 6th Infantry Division
commander whose area covers Wao in Lanao del Sur, said the remains of slain
armed men were recovered by 45th Infantry Battalion troopers along with two
M-16 Armalite rifles.
"The armed group remained unidentified but they have
been sighted roaming in the hinterlands of Wao," he said. Wao is situated
in the western part of Bukidnon and eastern side of Lanao del Sur.
The communist New Peoples Army operate in the area.
"Our troops were conducting regular foot patrol in
communities and roads so the villagers are safe," he told reporters in
Filipino.
Pangilinan said villagers alerted the patrolling soldiers at
past 10 a.m. about the presence of armed men in a remote village. When the
soldiers proceeded to the area, they were fired upon, triggering a 10 minute
firefight until the armed men fled to the hinterlands.
Aside from NPAs, Moro rebels also operate in the area.
Meanwhile, the military is verifying reports that a ranking
field commander of the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters was killed
in a clash with elements of the 2nd Mechanized Battalion on Wednesday dawn in
Datu Piang, Maguindanao.
"We are verifying that report, we have information from
the locals but we are verifying and counter checking it," he said.
Two civilians were hit by stray bullets while government
forces recover 60 mm mortars, ammunition and fatigue uniform.
"We have recovered improvised bombs in the Datu
Piang-Shariff Aguak towns in Maguindanao in the past, we will continue hunting
those in possession of these deadly weapons," Pangilinan said as he lauded
and congratulated the civilians for informing the military about the presence
of armed men in the village of Buayan, Datu Piang, Maguindanao.
Words have been circulating in town that BIFF Commander
Torrex was killed in the encounter.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=811018
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