3 soldiers hurt in clash with NPA rebels in Davao Oriental

DAVAO CITY – Three soldiers were wounded when government troops and suspected New People’s Army rebels clashed in Lupon town in Davao Oriental on Saturday, the police said.

Soldiers from the Army’s Scout Ranger Battalion were conducting combat operations in Purok (Community) Kinawasan in San Isidro village at 3:24 p.m. when they chanced upon an undetermined number of insurgents, triggering an hour-long firefight, Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, the spokesperson of the Southern Mindanao police, said.

Quoting a military report, Driz identified those wounded as Sgt. Benjie Ortizano and Privates First Class Juniel Llasgo and Warren Amora.

It was not immediately known if the rebels suffered any casualty.

Saturday’s clash was the latest between government troops and suspected NPA rebels in Southern Mindanao and happened amid fresh hopes of a final peace agreement between the government and the communist rebels to end the nearly half-century communist rebellion that has killed over 40,000 and stunted economic growth in the countryside.

READ: Gov’t, Reds OK interim peace pact

Last week, five soldiers were also wounded in a landmine blast set off by NPA rebels in Mabini, Compostela Valley.

In Tago, Surigao del Sur, suspected communist guerrillas harassed the camp of the 36th Infantry Battalion but had been thwarted on Friday.

Capt. Francisco Garello, the spokesperson of the 36th IB, said at least three NPA rebels – believed to be members of Guerrilla Front 30 – on board a motorcycle fired rifle-launched grenades towards the camp.

“The bravado of communist rebels showed their true nature of insincerity towards the resumption of the peace talks. The NPA had continuously instigated atrocities, not only against military targets but also to innocent civilians,” Lt Col. Xerxes Trinidad, the commander of the 36th IB, said. /ee