Major Enrico Gil Ileto, spokesman of the 3rd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army, said soldiers from the Army’s 47th Infantry Battalion were fired upon while they were on a community security patrol around 5 a.m.
The troops encountered about 20 armed NPA rebels led by Reniel Cellon, alias Kumpol, said Lt Col. Rodrigo Sosmeña, commanding officer of the Army’s 47th IB.
The suspected rebels have allegedly been in the area to recruit and train minors in medical courses in becoming fighters and in making improvised explosive devices in the past several weeks, Sosmeña added.
After 10 minutes of fire fight, the suspected NPA rebels withdrew leaving behind their slain companion.
The NPA fatality was later identified as Julia Pacheco Tabat, 40, reportedly using the aliases Ka Pinay, Gab and Alex and was said to be a medical officer of the Southwest Front Committee, Sosmeña said.
Tabat was the subject of a warrant of arrest in relation to several cases of attempted and frustrated murder filed before the Ilog-Candoni Municipal Trial Court.
The soldiers recovered documents of high intelligence value, a backpack and other personal items from the NPA rebels while no casualty was reported on the side of the government troops, Ileto said.
Lt Col. Rodrigo Sosmeña, commanding officer of the Army’s 47th IB, said they were trying to locate other wounded NPA rebels so they could be given medical assistance.
“Our medical teams are on standby should we receive emergency assistance call from them,” Sosmeña said.
Soldiers from the 47th IB are conducting pursuit operations of the suspected rebels while the Candoni police have conducted their investigation on the encounter.