Cotabato folk flee homes

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Hundreds of Cebuano and Ilonggo villagers fled their homes in Tulunan, North Cotabato after soldiers pounded New People’s Army guerrillas there the other day.

The military offensive was in retaliation for last week’s raid by some 30 rebels, led by Commander Taw-Taw and a certain Ka Joey, on an Army detachment in Barangay Bituan, Tulunan.

The rebels divested the militiamen and soldiers manning the detachment of 22 assault rifles and tied them up before fleeing toward the forested boundary of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. — John Unson