Soldiers kill NPA member, hurt 4 in NCotabato clash

COTABATO City, Philippines - Soldiers gunned down a member of the New People's Army (NPA) and wounded four others on Monday as they foiled the rebels' attempt to intrude into a farming community in Magpet, North Cotabato, and extort money from the villagers.

Senior Inspector Elias Colonia, Magpet town police chief, said the encounter Barangay Don Panaka erupted when the NPAs opened fire at the members of the 84th Infantry Battalion sent to verify the reported presence of armed men collecting money from farmers.

Barangay Don Panaka is located at the border of the adjoining North Cotabato and Davao provinces.

The encounter waned only when the NPAs ran out of ammunition, forcing them to retreat. They were seen carrying four wounded companions.

Colonia said that according to barangay officials, two of the four wounded NPAs were adolescents identified only as Benjie and Henry, who sustained gunshot wounds in their lower torsos.

Colonia said the fleeing rebels left their slain comrade at the scene of the encounter.

1st Lt. Nash Sema, civil-military relations officer of the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion, said local officials have received feelers from NPAs seeking “security pass” to enable them to bring their wounded companions to a hospital at the town proper of Magpet.