22 government troops, NPA rebels killed in encounter

BUTUAN CITY , Philippines  – Twenty-two people from the government and rebel sides were killed after New People’s Army rebels ambushed pursuing troops and policemen in Surigao del Sur on Wednesday.

Maj. Michele Anayron Jr., Army 4th Infantry Division spokesman based in Camp Evangelista in Cagayan de Oro City, said eight soldiers, two security guards, a policeman and a militiaman, and 10 NPA rebels were killed in the ensuing shootout.

However, Maria Malaya, NPA spokeswoman, denied in a statement that 10 rebels were killed in the fighting, and that the military was lying.

In a statement, the NPA said: “Can AFP produce those 10 dead bodies they claimed were killed, where will you find in the world that heavily armed ambushers were the ones killed (rather) than the ambush victims? The military are lying.”

Police identified those killed in the government side as Privates First Class Kenneth Bactong, Dennis Garfin, Charlito Pico and Jose Belascuan; Corporals Gartin Plaza and Mohamad Kair Abdurasic; Privates Charles Orit and Traul Paquibot; Police Officer 2 Rodulfo Randy Medrano; militiaman Dionesito Luces; and SUDECOR security officers Edmundo Careño and Hilarion Agudo.

Anayron said seriously wounded were retired Col. Tomasito Grafe, Surigao Development Corp. (SUDECOR) security chief, 10 soldiers, a policeman and 10 NPA rebels.

The wounded soldiers and policeman are Privates First Class Joebert Cabuyao, Rollie Altaya, Arvie Melida, Robinson Aninag, Rico Macabangon, Roy Dagatan, and Joendel Hulgansa; Privates Dennis Ordinan, Joel Natividad and Janio de los Santos; Senior Police Officer 1 Luis Gorrero Alcasar.

Senior Superintendent Nestor Monton Fajura, Caraga regional police deputy director for operations, said Army soldiers and policemen, along with militiamen and security guards, were running after NPA rebels that attacked the SUDECOR in Barangay Pakwan, Lanuza, when their truck hit a landmine.

Heavily armed NPA rebels then opened fire with automatic weapons and a shootout ensued, he added.

Lt. Col. Roberto Lamzon, Army 58th Infantry Batallion commander, said the NPA rebels attacked the security guards of SUDECOR to lure the soldiers to a pre-determined site, where other rebels were waiting in ambush.

“Their deceptive tactic brought more negative repercussions into the movement as they suffered scores of dead and wounded, thus reinforcing the rising demoralization within their ranks,” he said. – With James Mananghaya, Jaime Laude