NPA leader killed in encounter in Oas, Albay

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 19): NPA leader killed in encounter in Oas, Albay

A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) leader operating in Albay province was killed in an encounter with government troops in a mountainous area in Oas, Albay Wednesday morning, said a sketchy report that reached Camp Simeon Ola here, the headquarters of the Police Regional Office in Bicol.

The report, which was confirmed by Chief Insp. Arthur Gomez, chief of the investigation division of Albay Provincial Police Office (PPO), said the clash occurred in Barangay (village) Talisay, Oas town at 6:30 a.m.

He said the report has reached the Albay PPO, which was asked to help erect chokepoints in the province against the fleeing rebels, as government troops are still conducting hot pursuit operations.

According to the report, troops from Bravo Company of the 83rd Infantry Batallion and 97th Military Intelligence Company led by a certain "1st Lt. Catuday" were on combat patrol when they encountered around five NPA guerrillas operating in the area.

The NPA leader slain in the 10-minute encounter between the Army troops and communist rebels, was identified as Deomides Apiniado alias Ka Delio. The four other rebels had escaped towards the hinterland portions of Talisay.

Apiniado is allegedly a unit commander of a section of the NPA rebels operating in the hinterland areas of the towns of Guinobatan, Ligao, Oas, Pio Duran, Polangui and Libon.

A .45-caliber pistol, hand grenade, anti-government documents and some personal belongings were recovered from the slain NPA leader.

No one was hurt from among the government troops.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=980961