6 soldiers dead, 20 wounded in Eastern Samar clash

From the Philippine Daily Inquier (Nov 12, 2019): 6 soldiers dead, 20 wounded in Eastern Samar clash

At least six soldiers were killed while 20 others were wounded in an encounter in a remote village in Borongan City, Eastern Samar on Monday afternoon.

Reports reaching the Police Regional Office in Eastern Visayas based in Palo town, Leyte, showed that the government troops belonging to the 14th Infantry Battalion based in Oras town, Eastern Samar were in Sitio Bangin, Barangay Pinana-an in Borongan City on a patrol operation about 5 p.m. when they encountered about 50 members of the New People’s Army.

The rebels were reported to have detonated six improvised explosive devices while they were firing at the soldiers.

Killed in the battle that lasted for almost an hour were Sergeant Rex Jadulco; Corporals Ronaldo Go and Limar Banug; Private First Class Kent Loyd Agullo, and Junmar Buranday; and Private Charlie del Rosario.

Those wounded were Sergeants Kenneth John Arcina, Cyril Baja, Rando Doris, and Marlon Orsal; Private First Class Albert Abegonia, Denmark Gonsaza, Dandreb Gealon, Riel Bilagon, Rex Batis, Jr., Jerwin Ormob, Rene Abuda, Mark Geric de Leon; Privates Darwin Aborquez, Jayson Beros, Roger Moore Ditched; Corporals Dominador Antonio, Aljin Aguillos, and Linlito Donayre.

One rebel was said to have been killed in the incident.

The bodies had been retrieved while the wounded soldiers have been airlifted to a medical clinic at Camp Lukban, the headquarter of the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, Samar.

The encounter site was said to be “infiltrated” by communist rebels.

The death of the six soldiers and the wounding of 20 others were seen as a major blow to the government’s campaign to end the region’s insurgency problem, particularly on Samar Island.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1188797/6-soldiers-dead-20-wounded-in-eastern-samar-clash