2 NPA rebels killed in South Cotabato clash

KORONADAL CITY – Two communist rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in a remote village in South Cotabato early Friday, the police said.

Senior Inspector Joven Bagaygay, police chief of Lake Sebu town, said Army soldiers were conducting foot patrol in sitio Lamtapok in Barangay Ned when they chanced upon 9 heavily armed members of the New Peoples’ Army’s Front 73.

A 20-minute firefight erupted, which resulted in the death of the two NPA rebels, Bagaygay said.

Government forces, Bagaygay said, also recovered an AK-47 rifle and an M-14 automatic rifle from the slain rebels, whose identities had not been ascertained yet.

There was no casualty on the government side, he said.

The remains of the slain communist rebels were brought to a funeral parlor in Surallah, South Cotabato awaiting claimants. JE