NPA supply officer killed in shootout with soldiers – Army

New People’s Army guerrillas in a mountain camp in November 2016 — INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/ CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

DAVAO CITY – The military claimed on Tuesday that a supply officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed during a shootout with government forces after he allegedly resisted arrest in Barangay Maa here on Monday.

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, the spokesperson of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, said a joint police and military team went to Don Julian Subdivision to arrest Glenn Ramos, alias Berdan, who was facing an attempted homicide case.

Batchar said instead of yielding, Ramos, 40, drew a .38-handgun and fired on the arresting team.

“He sustained two gunshot wounds in the body and was brought to (the Southern Philippines Medical Center) where he died,” Batchar said, adding that the arresting team also recovered a fragmentation grenade and an improvised explosive device mounted with electrical wire and live 7.62mm ammunition.

“We encourage other NPA terrorist members to return to the folds of the law,” Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia, the 10th ID commander, said.

In Malita, Davao Occidental, two NPA rebels had surrendered on Monday, according to Lt. Col. Marion Angcao, the commander of the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion.

Mancao said a firefight also occurred between his men and NPA rebels in Barangay Little Baguio, also in Malita, but no casualties had been reported.

In Cagayan de Oro City, the 4th Infantry Division also reported the surrender of two NPA rebels on Tuesday.

Col. Cristobal Zaragoza, the 401st Infantry Brigade commander, said the two suspects would be assisted in their return to the mainstream of society.  SFM