Rebel killed, another captured in Surigao Norte clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 15, 2021): Rebel killed, another captured in Surigao Norte clash (By Alexander Lopez) 

SEIZED FIREARMS. A communist New People’s Army rebel is killed, and another one is wounded following a 30-minute firefight with government troops in the hinterlands of Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte, Wednesday afternoon (Jan. 13, 2020). Government troopers recovered firearms, ammunition, and subversive documents from the encounter site. (Photo courtesy of 30IB)

A communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed and another was captured in an encounter Wednesday with government troops in the hinterlands of Gigaquit town, Surigao del Norte.

In a press statement Friday, Lt. Col. Ryan Charles Callanta, commander of the Army's 30th Infantry Battalion (30IB), identified the slain rebel as Danilyn S. Fabre, 25, a resident of Mainit, Surigao del Norte.

Callanta said the wounded rebel, who was eventually captured, was Jocelyn Hiningcagan, 22, a Gigaquit resident.

The two belong to the Guerilla Front 16 of the NPA's Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee.

“The encounter took place when troops of 30IB were responding to a report from the civilians about the presence of more or less 30 NPA rebels extorting money from the royalty shares of the Indigenous People (IP) communities in the area,” Callanta said.

He said the NPA combatants fired upon the approaching soldiers, resulting in a 30-minute firefight that ended with the rebels retreating and leaving behind their dead and wounded comrades.

Callanta said government troops recovered high-power firearms, ammunition, and subversive documents at the encounter site.

“We responded to the call for help by the IP communities who were getting fed-up of the CNTs (Communist NPA Terrorist) extortions and whose desires are to live peacefully in their communities free from harassments, fear, and intimidation, deceit, and abuses by these terrorist NPAs,” Callanta said.

He said the slain rebel was handed over to her family while the wounded combatant was rushed to Butuan City for treatment.

On Thursday, the wounded rebel was transferred to Camp Evangelista Station Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City for further treatment, the Army official said.

"For the remaining NPA members, it is high time for them to choose to be with their families rather than to end up like what happened to their comrades by believing a Godless ideology and pointless struggle,” Callanta said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1127441