Militiaman killed in Army, NPA clash in North Cotabato

New People’s Army. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

KIDAPAWAN CITY, North Cotabato — A militiaman was killed when government forces and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels clashed in Magpet, North Cotabato on Tuesday, the military said Wednesday.

Lieutenant Silver Belvis, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion, identified the slain militiaman as Eliseo Sicao.

Belvis said government troops were conducting combat patrol in Sitio Buay-buay in Barangay Basak when fired at by NPA rebels, who were positioned on higher ground.

“Our troops immediately established defensive position and engaged the rebels who withdrew toward the northwest direction of the village,” Belvis told reporters.

Belvis said the 15 rebels came from the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Command (SMRC) that has been operating in the towns of Magpet, President Roxas and Arakan.  SFM