2 NPAs killed, militiaman wounded in Quezon clash

LUCENA CITY – Two alleged New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with soldiers in Lopez town in Quezon province before midnight Saturday, the military reported Sunday.

In a text message, 1st Lt. Felise Solano, deputy public information officer of the military’s Southern Luzon Command, said paramilitary and soldiers from the Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion engaged an undetermined number of communist guerillas in Barangay (village) San
Andres past 11 p.m.

After a 15-minute clash, the rebels retreated and left behind the bodies of two still unidentified dead comrades.

The wounded militiaman was identified by police as Michael Collado, a member of Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) – Civilian Active Auxiliary in the village.

Solano said the soldiers recovered one M16 sniper rifle with scope, one AK-47 rifle, one rifle grenade, communication equipment, personal belongings and documents.

Supt. Rodrigo Soriano, Lopez police station chief, reported that government forces detected the presence of the NPA rebels some 300 meters from the Cafgu and military detachment in the village.

He suspected that the communist guerillas planned to harass government forces but they were outmaneuvered by soldiers and Cafgu members. /cbb