12 dead in 2 NPA encounters

MANILA, Philippines – Five soldiers and seven suspected communist guerrillas were killed and several others wounded in separate encounters over the weekend between government forces and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Samar and Surigao del Sur, the military said yesterday.

Col. Bonifacio Cebrian, commander of the Army’s 46th Infantry Battalion, said four soldiers were killed while two others were wounded in the encounter in Minarog Motiong, Samar. Military officials also confirmed that an Army corporal and seven rebels were killed last Sunday in Carmen, Surigao del Sur.

Cebrian reported that the Army soldiers clashed with the NPA rebels in a remote village in Minarog Motiong at around 8:30 a.m. yesterday.

He said the Army unit had set up a blocking force after the rebels earlier aborted an attack at the police station of nearby Paranas town. The firefight resulted in the killing of four soldiers, who were not immediately identified, while two others were wounded.

The military is still verifying if there were casualties among the rebels.

Cebrian said the rebels failed to attack the heavily-secured Paranas police station. The withdrawing rebels later fired at a house that the guerrillas mistook for the house of Police Officer 3 Rey Arellano. House owner Gaspar Dapula, an employee of the Samar Electric Cooperative, was wounded and is now confined at the Samar Provincial Hospital.

The military said the local police have remained on alert status after NPA rebels attacked nearby Hinabangan town last Dec. 23 and the rebels threatened to attack other towns including Paranas.

Samar PNP provincial director Senior Superintendent Asdali Abah said the police are prepared for NPA attacks.

In Surigao del Sur, Col. Jose Vizcarra, commander of the 401st Infantry Brigade, said at least 60 NPA rebels attacked a detachment of local militiamen in Carmen town that resulted in the killing of Corporal Jaire Jajuri, commander of the outpost at Barangay Hinapuyan.

Vizcarra said seven rebels were killed but only two bodies of the attackers were recovered. The withdrawing rebels allegedly carried the bodies of the other dead guerrillas.

He said the rebels withdrew to Barangay Lobo in Cantilan, Surigao del Sur while government forces conducted pursuit operations.

Vizcarra said the guerrillas also took hostage several residents to be used as human shields to hamper military operations.

He said that at least 30 families from Barangay Lobo have evacuated to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

The military reported that the rebels have also set up a blocking force led by Commander Salem to harass government reinforcement units. - With Ben Serrano, James Mananghaya