(FILE) NPA fighters
LUCENA CITY – A member of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) was killed and another one wounded in an attack by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Buenavista town in Quezon province on Saturday.
Police Staff Sergeant Leobert Velasquez of the Buenavista police, in a phone interview, identified the slain government militiaman as Romar Gono while Armel Bajamunde sustained bullet wounds but is now in stable condition.
Quoting information from the military, Velasquez said one Sergeant Victor Bartocillo from the Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion sustained “minor scratches” during the battle.
The soldiers and Cafgu personnel were providing security to local police after conducting “barangayanihan”, a sort of community pantry, in Barangay Del Rosario when they were ambushed by NPA rebels in the village of Batabat Sur around 11:40 a.m.
The government forces were heading back to the police station at the town center for debriefing and lunch break when they were attacked.
A hot pursuit operation against the attackers is ongoing.