NPA guerrilla slain, 5 firearms recovered in Camarines Sur clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 12): NPA guerrilla slain, 5 firearms recovered in Camarines Sur clash

A suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebel was killed in a clash with government troopers in a hinterland village in Lagonoy town in Camarines Sur around noontime Sunday, said a ranking official of the 9th Infantry Division.

Capt. Joash Prames, spokesperson of the 9th ID, said the slain rebel, who has yet to be identified, was among a group of communist rebels who engaged a platoon of soldiers from the 83rd Infantry Battalion in a fierce firefight around 12:11 p.m. in Barangay Pinamihagan, Lagonoy.

He said five high powered rifles that included a M-60 machine gun, 3 M-16 rifles and a M-14 rifle were seized during the encounter.

Prames, quoting a report from Lt. Col. Eduardo Monjardin, commander of the 83IB, said villagers had tipped off the Army camp on the presence of a group of NPA rebels.

“A 10--minute firefight ensued that led to the death of a rebel while Army soldiers also recovered improvised explosives, grenades, communist propaganda materials and personal belongings left by the fleeing NPA rebels,” Prames said.

He said it was the second firefight between government troops and the communist guerrillas in Camarines Sur this month.

“On March 7, three NPA rebels were killed in a clash between troops from the 83rd IB and 20 rebels in Barangay Tabgon in Goa town,” Prames said.

Recovered were three .45-caliber pistols and materials for making improvised explosive devices.

A member of the Civilian Armed Auxiliary (CAA) identified as Simon Bivira was wounded in the encounter and brought to Camp Elias Angeles Station Hospital inside the 9th ID headquarters in Pili, Camarines Sur for emergency treatment.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=971015