Commies kill army soldier in North Cotabato clash

From the Mindanao Examiner (Dec 4): Commies kill army soldier in North Cotabato clash
One government soldier was killed and several others wounded in a clash with communist rebels in the southern Philippines, a New People’s Army spokesperson said on Tuesday. Isabel Santiago said rebel forces clashed with members of the 57th Infantry Battalion in the village called Amabel in North Cotabato’s Magpet town on Monday. “After the hour-long battle, the AFP troops fled and left on the scene their medical supplies; later their casualties were met by four ambulance units in Amabel,” she said in a statement to the Mindanao Examiner.

She said the NPA offensive was in retaliation to the military abuses against civilians in the area. “It was meant to punish the 602nd Brigade of the 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army for its clearing operations that left a trail of abuses against the peasant masses since its operation started last November 15.” “The Army has intensified its already abusive operations to pave the way for the entry of Japanese investors Hitocho Group of Companies who are the new capitalists of the banana company, Dole Philippines,” she said. There was no immediate statement from the military about the NPA accusations. The rebels have been fighting for the establishment of a communist state in the country.

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