3 die in military-NPA clash

DUMAGUETE CITY , Philippines  – Three people were killed, two of them alleged members of the New People Army and the other a suspected leader of the militant group Karapatan during the encounter last Wednesday morning with government troops at Payaw-payawan in Brgy. Nagbinlod of Sta. Catalina town in Negros Oriental.

Police identified the three fatalities as Lando Sueto and Jocelyn Benlot, and Karapatan leader Jonathan Khawaja Alforque.

Their bodies were taken to the town proper were the Scene of the Crime operatives took their fingerprints and conduct paraffin tests on them.

Chief Inspector Edwin Tuble said at around 11 a.m. Wednesday, elements of the 79th Infantry Battalion and the Scout Rangers exchanged fire with around 20 rebels who were believed to be members of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon Sentral Bisayas-South East Front.

The soldiers recovered from the encounter site an M-14 rifle, 11 backpacks, a bandolier with seven magazine clips and several rounds of ammunition for M-14 rifles.

Military officials said the rebels are bracing for a large-scale tactical offensive as part of the NPA anniversary celebration on March 29.