Two soldiers, one rebel killed in clash in Abra

By Ronron
March 26, 2008

Two government soldiers and one suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in an encounter last Monday in Abra province ahead of the 39th anniversary of the armed communist group on March 29, the police and military said Wednesday.

According to a police report at Camp Crame,, the incident happened at around 10:15 last March 24 in Sitio Pananuman, Barangay Tubtuba in the municipality of Tubo.

The report said the government troops belong to two platoons from the Charlie Company of the Philippine Army’s 50th Infantry Battalion, while the suspected insurgents number about five only.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) commander Lt. Gen. Rodrigo Maclang said the place is believed to be an encampment of the rebel group.

The police report said the firefight lasted for five minutes until some of the rebels escaped, leaving their camp to the control of the government forces.

Maclang said two soldiers and one rebel were killed, while six others soldiers were hurt after the exchange of gunfire.

One of the slain soldiers was identified in the police report as Private First Class Junior dela Cruz.

Maclang said the government troops also recovered two M16 rifles, two Garand rifles, two claymore mines, and 550 rounds of ammunition for Caliber 30 that were left behind by the rebels.

Meawhile, in Barangay Dibacung, Casiguran, Aurora, suspected NPA elements lobbed two grenades at 10pm of the same day inside the Bravo Company Command Post of the Philippine Army’s 69th Infantry Battalion, Maclang said.

He said the incident left two enlisted personnel injured. They were brought to the Casiguran District Hospital for treatment.

The 5,760-strong NPA has been waging guerilla warfare in the countryside for 39 years already on March 29.

The Arroyo government vows to crush the movement by 2010./DMS