Army officer, 2 others killed in clash with NPA rebels in Duterte’s hometown

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DAVAO CITY – A junior Army officer was killed while two others were wounded during a clash with communist rebels in Paquibato district here on Thursday, the military said Friday.

The clash in President Duterte’s hometown came three days after the Chief Executive ordered the military to “destroy the NPA (New People’s Army).”

Maj. Ezra Balagtey, the spokesperson of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, identified the slain officer as 1Lt. Jarren Relota of the 16^th Infantry Battalion.

Balagtey said soldiers from the Bravo Company of 16^th IB were responding to information about the presence of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Sitio Quimbao in Barangay Mapula when the clash ensued around 4 p.m.

“During the exchange of fire and maneuver, the terrorists detonated an improvised landmine wounding two soldiers while killing Lt. Relota,” Balagtey said in a statement.

The Joint Task Force Haribon commander, Maj. Gen. Noel Clement, said the death of the officer was painful but the military would continue to pursue peace in the area by running after the rebels “to prevent such incident that will add misery to the communities.”