Two NPA rebels, one soldier killed in Davao clashes  

Three people — two suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels and one soldier — were killed in a series of encounters in Davao City, Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental earlier this month.

Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Maj. Ezra Balegtey said in a press statement that the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army had nine encounters with the NPA from May 6 to 10.

Balegtey said the communist rebels belonged to Pulang Bagani Company (PBC) 1.

The NPA fatalities were identified as Jojo Dagahoya and Eleazar Templado, alias Chin, allegedly a political instructor of PBC 1.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which is talking peace with the government through its political wing, the National Democratic Front. 

Meanwhile, nine soldiers were wounded in the May 10 operations at Barangay Dalagdag, Calinan District in Davao City, and were evacuated to hospitals in the city.

Balegtey said the Army is withholding the name of the slain soldier pending notification of the family.

Troops recovered one caliber .38 revolver, an M14 rifle, and various war materials from the the NPA. Residents in the area also saw the NPA carrying the bodies of their wounded and dead comrades.

Meanwhile, Balegtey said the 73rd Infantry Batallion had three firefights with at least 40 NPA rebels from May 7, 9, and 11 in the towns of Malita, Davao Occidental and in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. One M14 rifle was recovered in the firefight in Davao del Sur.

No soldier was hurt in the said encounters, according to Balegtey.

He said the Philippine National Police has already strengthened its security measures in the towns where the encounters happened to ensure that the NPA will be blocked from fleeing the area.

10th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Haribon commander Maj. Gen. Rafael Valencia has expressed his condolences on the family of the slain soldier and prayed for the fast recovery of those wounded.

Valencia likewise vowed to pursue the NPA forces who have been making the lives of the public more miserable.

"We shall relentlessly pursue the anti-peace and anti-development nuisance propaganda army (NPA) of the communists who only make the lives of the Filipinos miserable," Valencia said. —Joseph Tristan Roxas/KBK, GMA News