NPA fighter killed in Quezon clash with Army troops

From GMA News (Jul 28): NPA fighter killed in Quezon clash with Army troops

A New People's Army guerrilla was killed in an encounter with government troops in Atimonan town in Quezon province on Friday afternoon.

The firefight erupted at about 5 p.m. in Atimonan's Barangay San Andres Bundok during a combat operation by the joint elements of the Army's 85th Infantry Battalion and 2nd Infantry Division.

Acting on a tip from concerned citizens allegedly being harassed by the rebels in Purok Munting of Barangay San Isidro, Padre Burgos town, government soldiers immediately launched combat operations around the area.

Lieutenant Colonel Ely Tono, commanding officer of the 85th IB, in statement, said that the soldiers chanced upon 25 NPA guerrillas in Barangay San Andres and engaged the rebels in a 30-minute firefight that resulted in the death of one enemy.

Troops recovered an M16 rifle at the clash site. No soldier was hurt in the skirmish that forced the insurgents to flee with their wounded.

The 85th IB command received information confirming that the rebels were from the same group that planned the murder of Efren Aguila of Barangay Cabuyao Sur, Padre Burgos last July 19, 2018.

Aguila was "falsely accused" by the NPA of being a military informant.

Massive pursuit operations by the government troops are ongoing, and checkpoints are being expanded in the area, the army said.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/662156/npa-fighter-killed-in-quezon-clash-with-army-troops/story/