2 NPA rebels killed in clash; another held in Laguna

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—Two communist rebels were killed and a policeman was wounded in an encounter in Cabanglasan town, Bukidnon, on Saturday, the military said Sunday.

A seven-man team from the Cabanglasan police was responding to a shooting incident allegedly carried out by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels against a civilian when they caught up with the assailants in Iba village around 9:30 a.m., sparking a brief firefight, said Colonel Leopoldo Galon, spokesperson of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command.

Melody Delamansi, a civilian, was gunned down while driving his motorcycle in Sitio Lagonglong and residents immediately reported the incident to the police, said Galon.

Fearing a possible ambush and landmine attack, the policemen split up, with five going to the crime site on foot and the two remaining on patrol.

Wounded

“Sensing the arrival of the PNP personnel, the NPA rebels maneuvered toward the police car but the two cops guarding the vehicle put up a fight. Their other five companions turned back and reinforced them, forcing the attackers to retreat,” Galon said in a text message.

He said a police officer was wounded in the encounter.

The military spokesperson said authorities recovered the bodies of the slain unidentified NPA guerrillas, as well as a KG-9 automatic weapon and a fragmentation grenade.

In Laguna, another suspected NPA member was arrested in Sta. Cruz town, four days after an alleged official of the Communist Party of Philippines was nabbed inside a mall in Las Pinas City for the same charges.

A belated report from the Philippine Army’s 202nd Infantry Brigade on Wednesday said Alexander Arias, alias Ka Adan or Ka Doroy, was arrested at a police and military checkpoint in Barangay Bubucal on April 7.

Arias was aboard a motorcycle driven by a certain Armando Dabe when arrested at around 11:30 a.m. The military suspected Dabe as a local “contact” of the communist rebels but was not arrested since he was not included in the arrest warrant.

Kidnapping

Brigade information officer Captain Gene Orense said Arias was charged with the kidnapping and murder of Private First Class Eriberto Eclavea and rebel returnee Richard Cortizano, alias Ka Troy, on May 27, 2007, in Mauban, Quezon.

Judge Rodolfo Obnamia Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 64 in Mauban issued the arrest warrant that named Arias and 42 others, including former NPA commander in Southern Tagalog Tirso Alcantara, Rosemarie Domanais and Reynante Gamara, alias Ka Mike, as respondents.

“(Arias) was part of that platoon that used to operate in Southern Tagalog and which carried out the attack in Quezon,” said brigade commander Col. Ivan Samarita in a phone interview.

Arias is detained at the Quezon provincial police office.—

Originally posted at 03:45 pm | Sunday, April 15, 2012