5 soldiers wounded in clash with NPA in Nueva Vizcaya

From the Philippine Information Agency (Nov 20): 5 soldiers wounded in clash with NPA in Nueva Vizcaya

A recent firefight between government soldiers and the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the upland villages on the southern part of the province left 5 soldiers wounded.

Police and military sources said the five injured soldiers were identified as Safron Marcelino, Roderick Requizo, Roland Verdadero, Leonard Dela Cruz and Danilo Rivera. They were rescued by the joint team of volunteers from the Philippine Red Cross and radio communication groups.

The wounded soldiers are now confined in various hospitals in the province.

The firefight which erupted early morning Thursday in the upland barangay Sanguit in Dupax del Sur town made rescue efforts difficult because of the distance and accessibility of the area as continuous rains poured in the entire province.
Mayor Ruben Basconcillo said around 30 families have left their homes within the danger zones for fear of being caught in the middle of the firefight.

“These families sought refuge to their relatives and our barangay hall in barangay Ganao which is now our focus for relief operations and provision of other assistance,” the mayor said.

Basconcillo said classes in the area has been temporarily suspended through the Department of Education as the area is still a hot zone for civilian activities.

Earlier, similar encounters in upland barangays of Kasibu town claimed lives of 5 soldiers and killed close to 10 NPA rebels in the upland barangays of neighboring Alfonso Castaneda town, a host municipality for the multi-million Casecnan Multi-Purpose Irrigation and Power Project.

Military officials said the province has long been a breeding ground for communist rebels due to the presence of large scale mining and dam projects, including the proposed Diduyon Irrigation and Power Project in the towns of Kasibu, Quezon, and Alfonso Castaneda.

They said these projects are being targeted for revolutionary taxes coupled with capitalizing environmental issues to gain sympathy from the affected communities.

http://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1002242