Rebels killed, government troops wounded in Surigao firefight

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 17): Rebels killed, government troops wounded in Surigao firefight

Several members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and some government troops were wounded in a firefight in Diatagon, Surigao Del Sur Thursday morning.

Lt. Karl Jan S. Devaras, company commander of the Army’s 75th Infantry Battalion, reported that the armed skirmishes took place when government troops responded to reports that the NPA rebels were burning the houses of the Lumad indigenous peoples in Kilometer 9 in Diatagon, early Thursday morning.

Devaras did not release any figure or names of the casualties and wounded, but reported to the 75IB about the wounding of several government troopers during the firefight.

Lt. Col. Haron S. Akaz, commanding officer of the 75IB, dispatched Devaras and his men to the area in order to check the call but were met by a volley of gun fires and explosives on reaching the site.

Devaras said that the government troops returned fire and maneuvered to an advantageous position, which resulted in the killing and wounding of an undetermined number of NPA rebels.

He said that the rebels attacked and burned the houses in Kilometer 9 to prevent the Lumads from returning to their homes.

The Lumads have evacuated to Tandag City after some of their leaders were shot and killed by armed groups who are now the subject of police and military manhunt.

“The NPA purposely burned the houses owned by the Lumads in the village of Hanayan in Kilometer 9 in Diatagon so that the blame could be attributed to the military again,” Devaraz said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=839236