Scores killed, wounded in 3 gov't encounters

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- An undetermined number of Muslim and communist rebels were killed and wounded in three separate encounters Friday in Mindanao, a military official said yesterday.

Army soldiers from the 44th Infantry Battalion in Sirawai town, Zamboanga del Norte engaged in more than 30 minutes exchange of gunfire with more or less 20 Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels in the forested area of the town.

The soldiers led by a certain Lt. Margate recovered assorted high-powered firearms and ammunitions after the encounter.

Southcom spokesman, Maj. Salih Indanan, said the assorted firearms include M-16 Armalite rifles, M-14 rifles and Garand rifles.

Indanan said the rebels fled to different directions after the firefight, dragging along their dead and wounded comrades.

In Sarangani province, elements of the 7th Army Special Forces Battalion clashed with at least 15 armed New People's Army (NPA's) guerrillas on the same day.

A para-military volunteer, Rodrigo Orat, was wounded after the 20 minutes exchange of gunfire. Indanan said the wounded volunteer was immediately brought to the hospital for treatment.

Indanan added the soldiers were on foot patrol when they chanced upon the communist rebels extorting revolutionary taxes from farmers in Barangay Blaan, Malungon, Sarangani province.

In South Cotabato, Army soldiers from the 8th Army Special Force Battalion continue its hot pursuit operations against NPA rebels in the forested area of Barangay Datal Dlanag, Tiboli town.

Indanan said that at about 8:40 a.m. Friday, government troops encountered some 20 fully armed communist rebels led by Ka Benjie and Ka Dondon, who were killed during the encounter.

Assorted highpowered weapons and ammunitions were also recovered after the clash, Indanan said.

Cadavers of the two slained rebel leaders were turned over to the barangay officials of Datal Dlanag for proper disposition.

Death toll in the continuous military operations in South Cotabato has rose to six as of press time. Indanan said that the operations still continue.