2 militiamen wounded in clash with NPA rebels

New People’s Army. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MAKILALA, North Cotabato — Two militiamen were wounded during a brief clash with suspected New People’s Army rebels in Barangay New Baguio here, the military reported Tuesday.

Capt. Danny Boy Tapang, civil–military operations officer of the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion, said government troops were sent to Sitio Tagataytay in the said village to check on the reported presence of the rebels there around 8:10 a.m. Monday.

As the government troops were making rounds of the village, NPA rebels fired on them, triggering a 15-minute firefight, he said.

Tapang identified the wounded militiamen as Ricky Fandagani and George Caro. The two are now in stable conditions, he said.

Tapang said additional troops were deployed in the area to pursue the fleeing rebels.