Suspected NPA killed in Bohol firefight

TRINIDAD, Bohol — A suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a firefight between the rebel group and government troopers on Saturday night here.

A military officer was also wounded and is now in stable condition after the encounter in Barangay San Vicente, Trinidad town.

In a statement, the Philippine Army’s 47th Infantry Battalion, said a certain Ruel Quizon, a member of the newly organized Trinidad-Talibon Integrated Farmers Association, was shot dead by unidentified men inside his residence in Purok Annex in Trinidad town at around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The troops of the 47th IB immediately responded and conducted a hot pursuit operation that resulted in an encounter between the army and an undetermined number of armed men believed to be members of the Bohol Party Committee in Barangay Banlasan in Trinidad town at around 9 p.m.

The firefight lasted for 10 minutes and resulted in the death of suspected rebel Joel Soria.

The government troopers also seized in the area a .45 caliber pistol, a hand grenade, two magazines with live ammunition, a backpack with personal belongings, a motorcycle, and subversive documents.

The army continued the operation where a member of the 47th IB was wounded by shrapnel from a hand grenade thrown by the members of the NPA.

The wounded soldier was brought to a hospital and is now in stable condition.

The 47th IB was still going after the rebels as of this writing to capture the persons responsible for the killing of Quizon.

“The Katapatan Troopers are sending our condolences to the bereaved family for losing their loved one. We pray that the Almighty heals your heart in this time of grief. We, in the army, ensure that we will continue doing our duty and we will make these Communist Terrorist Groups pay for their unlawful activities,” said Lieutenant Colonel Allyson Depayso, battalion commander.

/MUF