Soldier, ex-militiaman killed by leftist rebels in Mindanao

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - A soldier and a former pro-government militiaman were killed by suspected leftist rebels in Bukidnon over the weekend on separate occasions, authorities said today.

The army personnel died in a brief clash between soldiers and a handful of New People's Army (NPA) guerrillas in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon yesterday afternoon, according to Christian Uy, a regional army spokesperson.

Uy said the soldiers were conducting pursuit operations against dozens of NPA gunmen who had stormed and burned a piggery farm in nearby Libona early last week when yesterday's clash erupted.

In Caraga, two armed men killed Jessie Mapa, a former member of the Citizen Armed Auxiliary paramilitary as he was walking on a village road in Butuan City around 11 a.m., said Martin Gamba, regional police spokesperson.

"Allegedly one of the suspects shouted 'the one we killed was an asset of (the Philippine Army's) 30th IB (Infantry Battalion),'" Gamba said.

The armed men who identified themselves as NPA members knocked on the house of the village chief in Dugsangon, Bacuag, Surigao del Norte late yesterday evening and confiscated his government-issued 0.9mm pistol, police said.