Troops foil big NPA attack

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac — Military authorities here believe that ground troops were able to prevent what could have been a major rebel attack by communist rebels on remote government positions within the outskirts of Tarlac and neighboring Nueva Ecija province.

According to Lt. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, commanding officer of the Armed Forces’ Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom), until noontime yesterday running gunbattles raged between combined police and military forces and more than 50 New People’s Army (NPA) fighters in remote villages of Pura town.

Reports reaching Dominguez’s office said that skirmishes started at around 3:30 p.m. on Monday in Sitio Tumangan, Barangay Balite in Pura town in Tarlac. Authorities were tipped off by Barangay Balite villagers about the presence of a large group of armed men in their community.

Meanwhile, a UH IH huey helicopter of the Philippine Air Force that served as air support to government troopers was forced to take an emergency landing after it was hit by bullets fired by the rebels.

Senior Superintendent Angel Sunglao, Tarlac provincial police director, said that the pilot safely landed the helicopter.

About 30 NPA rebels were presently holed up in a sugarcane plantation in Sitio Umangan. — With Ric Sapnu