5 NPAs wounded in North Cotabato clash

COTABATO City, Philippines - Soldiers wounded five New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas allegedly collecting “protection money” in a hinterland district in Makilala, North Cotabato.

1st Lt. Nash Sema, spokesman of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion, said the soldiers managed to block the path of the rebels approaching Sitio Kawayanon in Barangay Luayon after having been tipped off by farmers complaining of the rebels' extortion activities in the town.

Local officials confirmed that the rebels belonged to the NPAs Guerilla Front 72.

The NPA group's several camps in North Cotabato’s adjoining Makilala, Magpet, Arakan and President Roxas have been taken over by the military in a series of operations last year.

Sema said that while they do not have an actual count of tNPA casualties, villagers reported that they saw five wounded rebels being carried by their comrades while escaping during the encounter in Barangay Luayon.

The soldiers that clashed with the NPAs recovered an M-16 rifle stained with blood.