2 NPA’s killed in encounter in Isabela

By Ronron
June 3, 2005

Two communist rebels were killed in an encounter Friday morning between the New People’s Army (NPA) and government troops in the northern Philippine province of Isabela.

Initial reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City said the two slain rebels were among the undetermined number of communist guerillas whom elements of the 52nd Reconnaissance Company under the Philippine Army’s 45th Infantry Battalion exchanged fires with at 7:05 am yesterday in Barangay Ara, Benito Soliven, Isabela.

No one was hurt from the government side.

The government troops, led by 2Lt. Albert Batinga, were conducting combat patrol then in response to intelligence reports about the presence of NPA rebels at said area.

The rebel group reportedly belongs to Platoon 1, Central Front of the NPA’s Cagayan Valley Regional Party Committee, headed by a certain Melecio Casisola, alias Ka Milis or Ka Jose.

The military recovered from the clash site two M16 rifles of the rebels.

A platoon from the same company immediately proceeded at the encounter site to reinforce the engaged government troops, while troops of the Alpha company, also of the 45th IB, established blocking positions at the possible withdrawal routes of the rebels./DMS