Gov’t troops clash with NPA rebels in CamSur; soldiers recover enemy guns

NAGA CITY, Philippines – A combined team of soldiers and policemen encountered a group of communist rebels in Goa, Camarines Sur, Tuesday morning, an Army official said.

Captain Mardjorie Panesa, public information officer of the 9th Infantry Division, said the soldiers and policemen were on security patrol when they clashed with five suspected New People’s Army rebels in Barangay (village) Scout Fuentebella, Goa, at 10:30 a.m.

She said government troops recovered an M16 rifle with four magazines, a rifle grenade, an improvised explosive device and one blasting cap from the fleeing rebels.

Panesa said the government forces were composed of a squad of nine soldiers with two officers from the 42nd Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Delfin Arguelles and two policemen from Goa Municipal Police Office.

The clash occurred just as the month-long unilateral ceasefire of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against the communist rebels ended midnight of Monday.

Major Angelo Guzman, spokesman of Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) based in Lucena City, said there were no casualties on the side of the government forces in the short fire fight.

He said Major General Ricardo Visaya, Solcom commander, believed the rebels encountered by government troops in Goa were remnants of the NPA’s Front 75 operating in the area.