Reports reaching Manila indicated that four rebels and one soldier were wounded as pursuing troops of the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion encountered a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels Friday morning at Sitio Afga, Lower Olave, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.
According to Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division (ID), the band of rebels was suspected to be behind the brutal killing of Loreto Town Mayor Dario Otaza and his son Daryl early this week in Agusan Del Sur.
Captain Martinez said the encounter took place at around 6:45 am. Troops of 23rd IB received information from civilians in the area that the NPA group responsible for the brutal killing of Mayor Otaza and his son were reportedly hiding in their community, prompting troops to proceed to the area and check out the veracity of the information.
Upon their approach to the village, the government troops were fired upon by the suspected rebels even in the presence of civilian non-combatants.
The government soldiers outmaneuvered the suspected NPA rebels, causing them to disengage from the firefight. Some residents in the area saw the retreating rebels dragging four of their wounded comrades away.
Martinez reported that one Army soldier was wounded during the initial burst of fire from the NPA rebels.
Recovered were NPA backpacks containing personal belongings and subversive documents with high intelligence value, Martinez said.
Col. Alexander Macario, Commander of the Army's 401st Infantry Brigade, said they were grateful to local residents for providing them timely information on the location of the rebels.
"They are already fed up with the NPA atrocities and exploitation. They are indignant about the brutal killing of Mayor Otaza," Macario said.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/119372/four-rebels-army-soldier-wounded-in-agusan-del-sur-clash
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