NPA rebel killed, female companion captured

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

DIGOS CITY – A still unidentified New People’s Army (NPA) member was killed, while an alleged female rebel was captured after a clash with soldiers in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, on Saturday, a military commander reported on Sunday.

Lt. Col. Rhojun Rosales, commander of the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion, identified the captured rebel as Jessa Lumana.

She said Lumana was found by soldiers hiding in the bushes during the clearing operations that also led to the recovery of the body of the slain rebel.

Rosales said soldiers also recovered an M-16 assault rifle, three improvised explosive devices, two rifle grenades, and flags of the National Democratic Front (NDF) and the Bagong Hukbong Bayan.

He said soldiers were responding to a report of armed men massing in Sitio Bayongon in Barangay Astorga in Sta. Cruz when the clashed ensued at about 11:25 a.m., Saturday.

Rosales said the armed men turned out to be members of the Guerrilla Front 51 of the NPA’s Southern Regional Committee under Greg Magbanua alias Macky.

Saturday’s clash in Sta. Cruz was the third firefight that took place between soldiers and NPA rebels in Davao del Sur since March.

On Good Friday, soldiers also clashed with the rebels in Barangay Goma in Digos City.

On April 18, two suspected NPA rebels were killed during a firefight with soldiers in Barangay Upper Bala in Magsaysay town. /cbb