2 NPA rebs killed, 2 arrested in Davao Occidental clash –military

Two communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels were killed while two others were arrested following an encounter with government forces in Davao Occidental on Tuesday, the military said Wednesday.

In a statement, Capt. Alberto Caber, public information office chief at the Eastern Mindanao Command, identified the fatalities as Mark Bryle Garduque alias Bryan and an alias Daniel.

Those arrested were Marilyn Magpatoc alias Tonyang, 31, and Ritchie Abrenica alias Pedro, 26. They were allegedly linked to the NPA's extortion activities.

No casualty was reported on the government side, Caber said.

“The soldiers who were on patrol were fired upon by the lawless group that prompted the security forces to return fire in Brgy. Kinangan, Malita, Davao Occidental around 2:05 p.m. on October 14, 2014,” Caber said in the statement.

The encounter lasted for about 45 minutes, he added.

The military also recovered 10 high-powered firearms — five M16 rifles, one M653 baby-Armalite, one M14, and three AK-47 — from the rebels.

Maj. Gen. Eduardo Ano, commander of 10th Infantry Division, said the residents of the area were the ones who tipped off the patrolling soldiers on the rebels' presence.

“The local populace continues to provide us credible information as they are already sick and tired of the NPA," he said.

Ano vowed to “strike hard” to “finish” the rebels as he appealed to them “to stop the armed struggle and go back to the mainstream society and live in peace before its too late.” —Rouchelle Dinglasan/KBK, GMA News