Suspected NPA killed in clash with soldiers in Butuan City

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Philippines — A suspected communist rebel was killed in a clash with government troops in a hinterland village in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, early on Thursday, the military said.

Two firearms and at least nine improvised bombs were also recovered after a 25-minute firefight in Anticala village around 5 a.m., said Capt. Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.

Martinez said troops of the Army’s 29th Infantry Battalion were fired upon by an undetermined number of New People’s Army guerrillas in Sitio Dugyaman.

“Residents had tipped off about the presence of (NPA rebels) conducting lectures and extortion activities in the community,” Martinez said, adding pursuit operations have been launched against the rebels who fled after the gun battle.  SFM