Rebel killed, soldier hurt in Sorsogon clash

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines – A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla was killed while an Army trooper was wounded in an encounter in Magallanes town in Sorsogon last Thursday.

Pfc. Richard Tablate was rushed to the Sorsogon Doctors’ Hospital for treatment while the military has yet to identify the slain rebel.

Tablate and his companions from the Army’s 31st Infantry Battalion (IB) were verifying reports about the presence of armed men in Barangay Tagas when they clashed with a band of insurgents, said Col. Cesar Idio, chief of the 903rd Infantry Brigade.

Idio said the rebels set off an improvised explosive device (IED), but no one was hurt in the blast.

Troops recovered two M-16 Armalites, an IED and five backpacks at the scene of the encounter.

Meanwhile, two soldiers and a civilian were killed while six others were wounded in another NPA attack in San Miguel town in Surigao del Sur last Wednesday.

The fatalities were identified as Sgt. Luisilo Pastor, Cpl. Rey Gerzon and Danilo Bendanilo, a civilian.

The wounded victims, including five soldiers and a civilian, were rushed to a hospital for treatment.

The soldiers were in four military trucks when they were ambushed by a band of rebels in Barangay Mahayag.

The civilians were passing by the area when they were hit by stray bullets, Capt. Jasper Gacayan, spokesman for the Army’s 401st IB, said.