Suspected NPA killed, soldier and village chief hurt in Southern Mindanao clashes

TAGUM CITY, Davao del Norte, Philippines — A suspected communist rebel was killed and two others were wounded in separate clashes between government troops and insurgents in Southern Mindanao on Saturday, the military on Sunday said.

The wounded included a soldier who was hurt in a clash in Maragusan town, Compostela Valley, and a barangay (village) chairman waylaid by suspected rebels in Toril, Davao City, Capt. Rhyan Batchar, 10th Infantry Division public affairs officer, said.

Batchar said troops from the Philipine Army’s 28th Infantry Battalion were on combat patrol when they chanced upon a band of New People’s Army rebels in Sitio (Sub-village) New Cebu, Magcagong village around 12 noon, sparking a 20-minute fire fight that left a soldier slightly wounded.

The rebels, believed from the NPA’s Front 27, fled soon after, leaving behind an improvised explosive device (IED) and a 30-meter wire.

In Davao City, a male NPA rebel was killed by soldiers who responded to an apparent ambush on two barangay officials in the Alambre village around 1:30 p.m.

Generoso Bacalso, village chief of Barangay Daliaon, suffered a gunshot wound in the hand following the attack as he and village councilor Ducris Daug, were on their way to Toril poblacion on a motorcycle, Batchar said. Daug was unhurt.

“A group of soldiers from the 84th IB who were travelling on the same road engaged the suspected NPA attackers. No soldier was hurt in the incident,” said Batchar.

Aside from the body of the slain rebel, police investigators recovered at the encounter site an M-653 assault rifle, popularly known as Baby Armalite, the army official said.

Meanwhile, five suspected NPA members have been held for allegedly laying makeshift bombs along a road in Pantukan town, Compostela Valley, on Friday afternoon.

Glen Canete, Arnel Angeles, Eric Beloy and Jutam and Junel, all surnamed Calig-unan, were chanced upon by patrolling soldiers planting IEDs at Sitio Maganting, Barangay Napnapan.

Batchar, the Army official, said five IEDs were also seized from the suspects.  SFM