SAN PABLO CITY, Philippines--Government troops reported killing a suspected communist New People’s Army leader, who was linked to the Globe cellsite bombings in Batangas recently, during an armed encounter against 12 armed insurgents in a village in Batangas on Friday night.

A military report provided the Philippine Daily Inquirer during the weekend identified the fatality as Danilo Mayo, also known as Ka Abet or Gallie, alleged to be the platoon leader of the communist NPA’s Sangay sa Platun 1, covering the western part of Batangas. The military said Mayo was killed in a 45-minute gunbattle.

It was not clear from the report if the military troops got hold of Mayo’s body.

The military said that at 9:50 p.m. Friday (Nov. 7), troops led by Sgt. Fernan Perido from the 730th Combat Group of the Philippine Airforce, under Maj. Carlos Orcino based in Nasugbu, Batangas, encountered the rebels, two of whom were women, in Barangay (Village) Talibayog, Calatagan, Batangas.

The military described Mayo as a native of Mindoro. He was once captured by government troops but he escaped from jail with the assistance of other NPA rebels sometime in 2005.

The military claimed that he participated in the burnings of Globe Telecom towers in Batangas.

Recovered from the encounter site were an M-16 rifle, four military backpacks, several magazines with ammunition for M-16 rifle, a rifle grenade, a hand grenade and documents.

Col. Tristan M. Kison, commander of Philippine Army’s 202nd Infantry Brigade, covering CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) directed government troops to pursue the fleeing rebels and establish checkpoints with Philippine National Police units in Batangas at possible withdrawal routes.

Last Oct. 27, an NPA rebel died and several were wounded in a clash with the Reconnaissance Squad of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 202nd Infantry Brigade in the village of Kinatihan, Candelaria, Quezon, a neighboring town of San Juan, Batangas.