NPA ‘terrorist’ killed in firefight with police, soldiers in Masbate

MANILA, Philippines — An alleged communist rebel was killed and a soldier was wounded in an armed encounter between the military and “CPP-NPA Terrorists” (CNTs) in the province of Masbate.

The Police Regional Office 5 reported that elements of the 1st Police Mobile Force Company, the Regional Intelligence Division 5 and the 96th Military Intelligence Company encountered around 30 CNTs led by a certain Rolidel Tugbo, alias Nonoy, Tugbo, or Ka Bungkig, during a combat operation Saturday morning in Barangay Gangao, Baleno town.

The firefight, which lasted for about two hours, led to the death of an “NPA terrorist” and the wounding of a soldier.

Authorities said an M16 assault rifle, a Molotov bomb, three rocket-propelled grenades, two M203 40-mm grenade launchers, a cellular phone, and subversive documents were recovered from the encounter site.

The CNTs, police said, fled with their wounded comrades.

Meanwhile, the slain CNT and the injured soldier were airlifted to the Legazpi City Airport.

The wounded soldier was rushed to the University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Legazpi City for treatment while the dead CNT was brought to the Nuestra Senora De Salvacion Funeral Parlor and Crematory to undergo an autopsy.

More soldiers were sent to the encounter site for a search operation and the possible recovery of other wounded CNTs. /cbb