NPA rebels attack Army patrol base

DAVAO CITY—Rebel guns were blazing anew shortly after a ceasefire declared by both the government and the communist New People’s Army (NPA) ended on Monday midnight in Remedios T. Romualdez town in Agusan del Norte.

Around 50 NPA guerrillas attacked an Army patrol base in Barangay San Antonio in Remedios T. Romualdez town at 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, killing a militiaman and wounding two others.

Col. Leopoldo Galon, spokesperson of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, said Christopher Rar, a member of the paramilitary Civilian Auxiliary Forces Geographical Unit, was killed during the five-hour battle while Cpl. Murphy Haiber and barangay councilman Dionisio Calbo were wounded.

Galon said an unidentified body was found after the rebels withdrew. Also recovered from the scene were two M-16 rifles. one M-203 grenade launcher, one rifle grenade, a 500-meter detonating cord and rounds of ammunition.

Galon said the patrol base was being supervised by the 23rd Infantry Battalion of the Army’s

4th Infantry Division.

In Manila, Malacañang said the military would resume operations against the NPA following the end of the ceasefire.

“We will defend ourselves. We cannot disclose what are we going to do but definitely since the ceasefire has already ended, we are not stopped from doing what’s necessary to protect our people,” said Secretary Edwin Lacierda, President Benigno Aquino’s spokesperson, in a news briefing.

Germelina A. Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao, with a report from Norman Bordadora, in Manila