Military, NPAs clash anew in Caraga

BUTUAN CITY – Elements of Charlie Company of the 26th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army headed by 2Lt Ruel Corpuz, yesterday morning encountered 15 armed men suspected to be NPA rebels belonging to Front Committee 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Command, the Caraga Police Regional Office here said.  The firefight lasted for more than two hours, reports showed.

Police and military reports showed there was an undetermined number of casualties on the rebels’ side while several others were hurt.

Earlier, a suspected NPA member was nabbed.

The report hinted there were no casualties or wounded soldiers on the government side.

Initial police investigation showed that before the encounter, operating troops apprehended a certain Marcelino Entino alias Jerson, an alleged member of FC-3, SMRC of the CPP/NPA/NDF near the encounter area.

Entino, the report said is now under the custody of Charlie Company, 26 IB, Philippine Army for tactical interrogation.

Corpuz in his report claimed they were conducting combat patrol operations in the area when they encountered the suspected communist rebels.

“Firefight ensued after which the militants withdrew toward Laak, Compostela Valley Province,” the report claimed.

The military said they recovered from the area, one empty bandolier, three backpacks, four ammunitions of 30 M1 garrand rifle, two magazines with 20 rounds of ammunition, three cooking pots and subversive documents.