Army personnel killed as NPA harass military detachment in Davao Oriental

By Ronron
January 28, 2008

A member of the Philippine Army was killed after suspected communist rebels harassed a military detachment on Sunday morning in Davao Oriental province, police said.

A belated report reaching Camp Crame identified the killed soldier as Private First Class Tito Miranda of the Philippine Army’s 72nd Infantry Battalion (IB).

The report said some 50 fully armed members of the New People’s Army (NPA) harassed the Army/CAFGU patrol base under the 72nd IB at Sitio Limbog, Barangay Carmen in Boston town at around 8:10 am the other day (Sunday).

The rebels were reportedly led by Africa Alvares Rosete, alias Ka Lalay, and a certain Ka Glen of the Front Committee 20, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines - NPA.

The report said personnel at the Army patrol base fought back, ensuing a 35-minute firefight until the guerillas withdrew heading the direction of Sitio Kagaran, Barangay San Jose in said town.

The report said Miranda was killed during the course of the firefight.

Elements of the Police Special Action Force stationed at Barangay Sta. Felimona in Cateel town reinforced the harassed unit, while other personnel from the Boston and Cateel Police Stations were placed on alert, the report said.

Checkpoints were also set up in strategic places in said province, while inspections were made at different hospitals and clinics for possible interception of injured rebels.

The NPA, which has over 5,000 members, has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for almost four decades already.

The military aims to make the insurgents inconsequential by 2010 when President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ends her term./DMS