Top NPA leader in Bukidnon killed in clash with gov ‘t troops

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – One of the ranking leaders of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in an encounter with government soldiers in a village in Bukidnon Saturday, the military said on Sunday.

A report by the Philippine Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade claimed to have killed a guerrilla named Joven Manggatawan, also known as “Amana,” reportedly the leader of the Sentro de Grabidad platoon of the NPA’s Company Thunder, known as a subregional command of the NPA’s north central Mindanao command operating in the southern parts of Bukidnon.

Capt. Ryan Layug, 403rd IB spokesperson, said the fallen NPA commander was among the 20 NPA guerillas who clashed with government forces in Sitio Bangkalawan, Barangay Lumintao, Quezon town on Saturday.

Manggatawan was fatally hit by pursuing  soldiers of the 88th Infantry Battalion, a unit of the 403rd IB. He was identified by his former fellow NPA fighter who had earlier surrendered to the government.

Retreating communist rebels left behind assorted firearms and ammunitions, including an M1 rifle and two magazines, a rifle grenade, an ammunition magazine for AK 47 rifle, two anti-personnel mines, a two-way radio, six 20-liter water containers filled with rice, assorted personal belongings and subversive documents.

Layug said Sentro de Grabidad earlier owned up to the series of attacks on private and commercial farm properties in Bukidnon and the destruction of civilian-owned equipment in the area.

Brig. Gen. Edgardo de Leon, 403rd IB commander, said 110 regular NPA members had so far surrendered to the government, “but there are still those who opted to remain” with the revolutionary movement, he said.

“They would have to face the might of the military,” the general warned those who opted to stay with the rebel forces. /je