DAVAO CITY – A total of eight members of the Army and three members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in separate encounters in Mindanao days before the State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino.
The Army on Monday said a solider of the 71st Infantry Battalion and two NPA fighters were killed during an encounter in Sitio Camarin, Napnapan, Pantukan, Compostela Valley Province on Sunday morning.
Lt. Col. Eduardo Gubat, spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command in a statement said the incident happened 11:55 am.
Gubat said the two (NPAs) who were killed during the encounter were brought by their companions during their escape, “but were hidden somewhere in the forested area to avoid being caught by the troops on pursuit operations, while their wounded companion were treated somewhere in the area.”
Gubat said six NPAs were wounded. He said the Army is now trying to locate the cadavers of the NPAs.
He said more or less 50 NPA fighters engaged the Army in a firefight. He said the NPAs “were under alias Maruz”.
Gubat said pursuit operations are still ongoing.
Meanwhile, National Democratic Front of the Philippines spokesperson Maria Malaya said five Army members were killed, while two others were wounded in Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Norte in separate incidents Thursday last week.
Malaya said two soldiers who were members of 75th IB were killed during a military offensive by the NPAs belonging to Front 14 in Barangay Doña Carmen, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.
Malaya said two members of the Army’s scout ranger were killed at 9:30 am by members of the NPA Front-16 in Sitio Zapanta Valley, Bangayan, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte. She said another soldier, who belongs to the 29th IB was also killed at 2:35 pm in the same area.
Malaya said “two bomber planes (of the Army) dropped eight bombs, while two MG-520 attack helicopters dropped an undetermined number of rockets and fired cal.50 machine gun at 4:55 pm on the same day.”
She said an Army huey helicopter also flew “twice” allegedly to get the casualties in Zapanta Valley.
On Sunday evening, around 30 NPA guerrilla fighters also attacked a security post of the Apex Mining in Barangay Masara, Maco, Compostela Valley.
1Lt Alexandre Cabales, Officer in Charge of Public Affairs Office of the 10th Infantry Division, said the NPAs were able to burn a guard post during the attack. Cabales said the NPAs also attempted to burn a backhoe owned by the company.
He said the local police in Masara has already conducted their investigation for the formal filing of charges against the NPAs. (davaotoday.com)
