Eight dead bodies of NPAs were recovered by government troopers in Barangay L.S. Sarmiento, Laak, Compostela Valley, Tuesday morning. (Photo by 10th Infantry (Agila) Division of the Philippine Army)
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The 10th Infantry (Agila) Division of the Philippine Army said eight New People’s Army rebels were killed in a clash that took place on Wednesday morning in Compostela Valley while the NPAs in Bukidnon province reported the death of four soldiers after two days of armed encounters in the area.
Captain Rhyan Batchar, chief information officer of 10th ID said combined troopers of 25th and 60th Infantry Battalions chanced upon 40 NPA rebels on Wednesday morning in Barangay L.S. Sarmiento, Laak, Compostela Valley.
Eight dead bodies of NPAs were recovered by government troopers in the encounter site, Batchar said in a statement to the media.
A soldier, whose name is still being withheld pending notification of his family members was also killed during the encounter.
Six high-powered firearms were also recovered by the soldiers, including an M60 machine gun, he added.
Meanwhile, the South Central Bukidnon Sub-Regional Command of the NPA said four soldiers were killed in a two-day encounter in the province of Bukidnon, particularly in the town of Cabanglasan last week.
Ka Malem Mabini, spokesperson of the NPA in the area said 24 troopers of 8th Infantry Battalion were harassed by the rebels last July 4 at around 4:30 PM in Sitio Kalakapan, Barangay Kanangaan, Cabanglasan that resulted to the killing of a soldier and the wounding of two others.
On June 6, Mabini said around 40 troopers from the 8th IB and the Special Forces from 403rd Brigade attacked an NPA encampment in Sitio Miaray, Barangay Manggaod, Cabanglasan.
Three soldiers were killed in an hour of fighting in Miaray, Mabini said.
An undetermined number of soldiers were also killed or hurt when hit by a command-detonated explosive set up by the NPAs, he added.
Davao Today tried to get the side of the army on Wednesday, through 1st Lt. Erwin Bugarin, the civil-military operations officer of 8th IB, but the officer is yet to issue a statement. (davaotoday.com)
