8 soldiers wounded in encounter with NPA in Aurora

By Ronron
May 29, 2007

Eight soldiers were wounded in an encounter Monday evening against communist rebels in Aurora province, a military commander said Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Joselito Kakilala, commander of the Philippine Army’s 48th Infantry Battalion, told Defense reporters in a phone interview yesterday that about 40 troops of his men were aboard an M35 truck at around 6:30 pm the other day (Monday) when fired upon by pre-positioned members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Dimateset, Dilasag town in Aurora.

“They were responding to an A1 information about the presence of many armed men in the area,” Kakilala said of the government troops.

A 30-minute firefight ensued, leaving eight soldiers wounded, three of whom are in serious condition, said Kakilala.

Kakilala said the advantage of the insurgents is their position, being on an elevated location.

But he believes the NPA suffered casualties but were brought along by their comrades.

On Sunday, three soldiers died and eight others were wounded in a clash also with communist rebels in Masbate province.

The 7,100-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside in the last 38 years and is being targeted now by the Philippine government to be deactivated by 2010./DMS