Soldier, 2 alleged Reds killed in Ilocos Sur clash

Two suspected communist guerillas and an Army soldier were killed following a clash before noon Wednesday in Ilocos Sur, a regional military commander said. Troops from the 50th Infantry Battalion were fired upon by 15 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels as they were approaching Kilang village in Galimuyod town, said Col. Loreto Rirao, commander of the 503rd Brigade. Rirao said troops were dispatched to the area upon receiving information that the rebels were reportedly out to extort money from the villagers. One soldier and an undetermined number of rebels were wounded in the said incident, Rirao added. He said the clash indicated that government forces have gained the confidence of the villagers, adding that "barrio folks are already fed up with the extortion of the NPAs." "We feel that the rebels are plagued with a leadership crisis due to their leader's arrest," Rirao said, referring to last week’s arrest of Jose Ma. Sison in The Netherlands. Sison is the founding chair of the Communist Party of the Philippines. - GMANews.TV