Soldiers Encounter NPAs in Compostela Valley

From DWDD (Civil Relations Service-AFP) AM Radio Website (Oct 18): Soldiers Encounter NPAs in Compostela Valley

MONKAYO, Compostela Valley (DWDD) – Troops from the 25th Infantry Battalion engaged 60 heavily-armed New People’s Army (NPA) bandits in Sitio Kalinugan, Barangay Casoon, Monkayo, Compostela Valley last Saturday.

According to Capt. Rhyan Batchar, Public Affairs Officer of the 10th Infantry Division, the encounter stemmed from government efforts to recover two soldiers abducted by the NPAs last Sept. 30 thus resulting in their encounter with the merged elements of Section Committee 3 and Pulang Bagani Command 4 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee led by Zaldy Cañete, alias “Jinggoy.”

Batchar added that two soldiers identified as Cpl. Byron Moreno and Pfc. Thon Katog were killed-in-action and their bodies were already claimed by their families.

Meanwhile, the wounded soldier was identified only as Pfc. Castillanes and is now undergoing treatment at the Davao Regional Hospital in Tagum City.

The troopers recovered an improvised explosive device, electrical wires and several personal belongings of the NPAs who escaped in different directions, while elements of the 1001st Infantry Brigade conducted pursuit operations. 10DPAO / MCAG

http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/rescue-effort-soldiers-encounter-npas-in-compostela-valley/