Army extends medical aid to NPA rebels hurt in clashes

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 6): Army extends medical aid to NPA rebels hurt in clashes

Soldiers belonging to the 33rd Infantry Battalion had treated wounded communist rebels following a clash with the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (IB) in the borders of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat, the Army said Wednesday.

Capt. Arvin John Encinas, speaking for the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said elements of the 33rd IB based in Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat provided manpower support to elements of 27th IB that clashed with the NPAs on Sunday in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

In the clash, seven communist rebels were killed and scores were wounded. Two soldiers from 27th IB were also killed.

Encinas said after the clashes in Sitio Datal Bonglangon, Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato the wounded rebels fled toward Bagumbayan town which is part of the area of operation of 33rd IB.

At around 10:30 a.m. Monday, 33rd IB troopers, led by Lt Col Harold Cabunoc and accompanied by tribal elders, entered Datal Bonglangon to treat a wounded insurgent named Jeffrey Denian, 18.

Datu Dandee Denian, a tribal leader from Tulale village, confirmed that among those killed were Datu Victor Denian and two of the latter’s sons who reinforced the NPA.

Cabunoc has arranged a tribal burial rite for the dead insurgents who all belong to the Dulangan Manobo.

Later in the afternoon, 10 NPA members, several of them injured, surrendered to Cabunoc in the presence of Datu Tony Paan and Sto Nino village chairperson Julieto Ynion.
The simple ‘Balik Tribo’ surrender rite was held in Sitio Bermuda, about a kilometer away from the seized NPA camp. Cabunoc said the number of communist rebels who surrendered to the government troops in Sultan Kudarat had now reached to 86.

Major General Arnel Dela Vega, 6th Infantry Division commander, said aside from the sustained military operations in the area, massive awareness campaign was also undertaken in the indigent communities to expose the deceptive propaganda used by the NPA in their recruitment of Indigenous Peoples (IPs).

The wounded were brought by soldiers to Sultan Kudarat provincial hospital in Isulan, the provincial capital. Cabunoc said ten other communist fighters who belonged to the IPs community have surrendered to government forces.

Senior Supt. Raul Supiter, Sultan Kudarat police director, said at least 1,000 families had been displaced armed hostilities in Lake Sebu and fled toward Barangay Sumilil, Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat.

Supt. Supiter said the local police of Bagumbayan, led by Chief Inspector Gary Marfil, extended emergency assistance to the affected families.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/1018065