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LEGAZPI CITY — A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) leader was killed in a clash with the military in Saturday in Cataingan, Masbate, a report from Philippine Army said on Sunday.
Major John Paul Belleza, public affairs chief of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said the fatality was identified as Lito Villaces Ajena, aka “Cesar,” of Larangan 2 of Komiteng Probinsya 4 of the Bicol Regional Party Committee.
Belleza said that after concerned citizens tipped off the military of the presence of armed men in Barangay (village) Liong, they conducted an operation that led to a 10-minute firefight with five suspected rebels at around 6:30 a.m.
Authorities recovered the body of the slain suspected rebel, and several firearms and ammunition.