3 suspected communist rebel group leaders killed in Cagayan clash –military

The military said that three suspected communist rebel group leaders were killed in an encounter with state troops in Sto. Niño, Cagayan on Thursday.

In a Friday statement, the 5th Infantry Division (5ID) identified the alleged rebels as Saturnino Agunoy alias “Peping”, Mark Canta alias “Uno”, and alias “Val”.

Agunoy was allegedly the head of the Regional Operations Department of Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley, while Canta was a political guide and “Val” was a medical officer of the West Front Committee.

The military added that Agunoy faced several cases, such as qualified assault upon an agent or person in authority with murder, arson, rebellion, and murder.

Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Logan, commander of the 17th Infantry Battalion, said their troops were on security patrol when residents informed them about the presence of the rebels in Barangay Virginia.

“Members of the CTG fired at our operating troops, and they retaliated. The firefight lasted for five minutes which resulted in the death of their three leaders,” he said.

“Some of the members of the CTG scampered in different directions. So, we alerted our nearest patrol bases and the PNP to conduct blocking positions and checkpoints for their possible apprehension,” he added.

Before the encounter, Logan said the troops had learned that the rebel group present in the area was led by the “notorious alias Simoy.”

Recovered from the encounter site were two .45 caliber pistols; a hand grenade; a backpack with a laptop and charger, a smartphone, a thumb drive, and other personal items; another backpack had medical supplies including 12 syringes, three IV fluid bags, bandages, 30 gauze pads; and subversive documents with high intelligence value. — DVM, GMA News