NPA guerrilla killed in Bukidnon clash —Army official

An alleged New People's Army insurgent, believed to be behind the torching of heavy equipment in Velencia City in Bukidnon, was killed in clash with government troops on Saturday morning, the Philippine Army said.

In a news release on Sunday, an official of the PA's 4th Infantry Division headquartered in Cagayan de Oro City said that security forces, responding to information of the presence of armed groups, proceeded to the hinterlands of Barangay Mandahican.

Lieutenant Col. Franklin Fabic, Commanding Officer of 88th Infantry Battalion, said troops sent to the area chanced upon 15 NPA guerrillas at about 9:50 a.m, sparking a 10-minute clash that left one rebel dead, and pressured the rest of the insurgents to flee to different directions.

Later, Fabic identified the slain rebel as alias "Daligas", a squad leader belonging to the Guerrilla Front Malayag, an NPA unit allegedly responsible for the burning of a dump truck and a pay loader at a quarry site in Barangay Sinabuagan, Valencia City last June 19.

Soldiers recovered from the clash site an M16 Rifle and a bandoleer containing four magazines. They also discovered an abandoned hideout that can accommodate 30 people near the encounter site. 

Also found in the hideout were eight cellular phones, several medical supplies, and personal belongings.

According to Fabic, there were no casualty reported from the government's side.

“We commend the people of Barangay Mandahican for their cooperation and the information they shared to our soldiers that led to this successful operation," Fabic said.

Meanwhile, Major General Andres Centino, commander of the 4th ID said that real intent of the NPA insurgents' presence in the area is to extort money from business firms in order to sustain their forces.

“These bandits burned equipment to threaten business owners to give in to their demands. Extortion is their lifeblood, if these activities are stopped they will never be able sustain their forces, they will be forced to surrender that will eventually lead to their defeat,” he said. —LBG, GMA News