Saturday, August 6, 2016

Fierce clashes with NPA escalate

From the Manila Bulletin (Aug 7): Fierce clashes with NPA escalate

Armed encounters between the government and the New People’s Army (NPA) erupted in Compostela Valley and Bukidnon provinces Friday that reportedly killed four soldiers and two rebels, while another soldier remained missing.

Twelve soldiers were also reported wounded.



Compostela Valley and Bukidnon Map

Armed conflict between the government and NPA rebels continued to escalate in Mindanao after President Duterte withdrew his earlier order of a ceasefire with the insurgents.

In a police report, a 45-minute firefight between the Scout Platoon of the 25th Infantry Battalion and the 60-fully armed NPA rebels under the Southeastern Command 20 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Command (SMRC) took place at Km. 56 in Barangay Rizal in Monkayo, Compostela Valley while the soldiers were conducting field monitoring on Friday morning.

Identified as wounded in that encounter were “First Lieutenant Damaso, Cpl Bornasal, Cpl Rebuta, PFC Lagunday, PFC Necesito , Cpl Embo, Cpl Bayta, Cpl Mapa, PFC Lagura, PFC Sarmiento, PFC Torrefiel and Pvt Laput.”

Of these wounded, three were reported to have been declared dead on-arrival at the hospital. Their names were withheld pending information of their families.
A certain PFC Del Mundo was reported as missing in action.

On the side of the NPA, a female fighter was killed, while three others who were wounded were put under arrest.

In Barangay Parasanon, Maragusan, Compostela Valley, another encounter left a soldier dead.

Army troops also found the body of a rebel, a carbine rifle, and an IED.

Meanwhile, in Sitio Kambangon, Barangay Lilingayon in Valencia City, Bukidnon, a Special Forces trooper was reported killed after soldiers fought it out with a band of NPA rebels, also Friday.

Capt. Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of the Army 4th Infantry Division, Martinez withheld the name of the slain soldier, who belonged to the Army’s First Special Forces Battalion, pending the notification of the next of kin.

Martinez said government troops were able to captured nine high-powered firearms that included eight AK-47 rifles; three M14 rifles, a rifle grenade; a gallon of gasoline; three handheld radios and NPA classified documents in the encounter.

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, 10th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the encounter in Monkayo, Compostela Valley was sparked by a skirmish earlier on Thursday when troops of the Charlie Company were engaged by the insurgents in a 15-minute firefight at Km 56 in Barangay Rizal. There was no casualty reported.

http://www.mb.com.ph/fierce-clashes-with-npa-escalate/

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