TWO reported members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed while a militiaman was wounded last Saturday during a firefight between soldiers and rebels in Quezon, a report reaching Camp Crame said.
Elements of the Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion engaged guerillas for about 15 minutes at Barangay San Andres, Lopez, Quezon, at past 11 p.m. last Saturday, the Quezon Provincial Police Office (QPPO) reported.
During the firefight, two rebels, whose identities were still being ascertained, were killed. Their bodies were left behind by their comrades. Meanwhile, the wounded militiaman was identified as Michael Collado.
The soldiers recovered an M16 sniper rifle with scope, an AK47 rifle, a rifle grenade and communication equipment.
The QPPO said the firefight occurred after soldiers got wind of the presence of rebels near a military detachment in Barangay San Andres.
The encounter between soldiers and rebels was the first to be reported since Thursday, when the NPA marked its 50th founding
anniversary.
The Communist Party of the Philippines has ordered rebels to intensify their attacks against the government.
The Left is inclined to resume peace talks with the government, but Malacañang said the prevailing environment does not still call for it.
Meanwhile, a subleader of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF) was killed late last week in a firefight with a combined team of policemen and soldiers in North Cotabato.
Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command Spokesman Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay said Commander Buds Basilan, also an expert bomb-maker, was killed during a joint operation by the 34th Infantry Battalion and the Aleosan police at Barangay Puypuyan, Aleosan, North Cotabato at around 7 p.m.
last Thursday.
The BIFF subleader was listed number 209 in the wanted list for martial law.
“Our soldiers and policemen had been tracking the person and was about to apprehend him when he shot at the authorities resulting in the encounter,” said Maj. Gen. Arnel de la Vega, commander of the Joint Task Force Central.
“Basilan who is under the BIFF’s Karialan Faction, was responsible in the manufacture of bombs and IEDs which affected the areas of Aleosan, Midsayap and Carmen of North Cotabato. His neutralization will definitely weaken his subgroup that is operating mostly in the province,” de la
Vega said.