Militiamen in North Cotabato survive NPA ambush

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 20): Militiamen in North Cotabato survive NPA ambush

Suspected communist guerillas ambushed Sunday afternoon militiamen on motorbike in a remote village here, that also injured a woman, police said.

In its report, the police office of Antipas, North Cotabato said Jessica Bange, 43, a resident of Barangay Malire, Antipas was sitting beside the road while a motorbike with four members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) on board was passing by.

Suddenly, a series of gunshots was heard. Bange was hit by stray bullets on her arm then on her waist.

Residents rushed her to hospital.

A report from Lt. Col. Harold Argamosa, commander of the 39th Infantry Battalion who has supervisory and administrative jurisdiction on militiamen in North Cotabato's second district, said it was a case of ambush staged by New Peoples Army (NPA).

The four militiamen who were not identified in the report escaped unhurt after a 15-minute exchange of gunfire with NPAs belonging to Guerilla Front 51.

Argamosa could not say if the communist rebels suffered casualties in the brief encounter.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=965485