5 CAFGU men slain in Quezon Province clash

MANILA, Philippines — Five members of the Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) were killed in an encounter with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Tagkawayan, Quezon yesterday.

The military said it has no information regarding casualties on the part of the rebels due to the clash that also left three other militiamen and a soldier wounded.

Col. Dennis Cana, spokesman for the Southern Luzon Command, said the clash occurred at around 7 a.m. in Sitio Pagasa in Barangay Mapulot.

Cana said state forces were conducting patrol operations after receiving reports on the presence of communist rebels in the area when the clash occurred.

In Zamboanga del Sur, 13 NPA rebels, including an amazon, surrendered to the military on Wednesday.

The rebels, who turned themselves in to the 53rd Infantry Battalion in Guipos town, were served arrest warrants by personnel of the Siayan police, Maj. Shellamie Chang, Zamboanga peninsula police information office officer-in-charge, said.

Chang said the rebel-returnees have pending warrants for attempted murder.

Sindangan Regional Trial Court 9 Judge Joel Gonzaga Vercide issued the warrants last year.