UPDATEand CAFGU, 3 rebels die in North Cotabato encounter
Local News • 17:26 PM Mon Jan 22, 2018
1,274
By:
Edwin Fernandez
This is the CAFGU detachment in Sitio Garing, Barangay Luayon, Makilala, North Cotabato harassed by NPAs past 12 midnight Monday. (Ferdz Cabrera)
KIDAPAWAN CITY – A militiaman and three communist rebels were killed in clashes
that erupted early Monday in a remote
village in Makilala, North Cotabato, police said today.
Chief
Inspector John Felongco Medel, Makilala town police chief, said undetermined
number of New Peoples’ Army (NPA) harassed an Army and militia detachment in
Sitio Garing, Barangay Luayon, Makilala, North Cotabato at 12:45 a.m. Monday.
The
harassment, Medel said, triggered an hour-long exchange of bullets that left a
militia killed and five other para-military troopers injured.
The remains of
three dead rebels were recovered by responding elements of the 39th
Infantry Battalion in adjacent villages where the rebels fled.
Killed was CAFGUJolito Apala. Injured were CAFGUsEdgar Delima, Oligario Rollurta, Raffy Aguanan, Jimmy Gonzaga, Jose Angcogand Joel Daguan.Medel said the remains of slain NPAs are now in a local funeral parlor waiting for claimants.Lt. Colonel
Rhojun Rosales, 39th IB chief, said pursuit operations are on-going. Rosales said the rebels used some residents of Barangay Luayon as human shields while fleeing responding government forces.Classes in Barangay Luayon and nearby villages were suspended to ensure safety of pupils, education officials said. The clash
erupted while the communist rebels’ Guerilla Front 53 is holding captive Police
Senior Inspector Menard Cui since he was seized in Pres. Roxas, North Cotabato
on Dec. 28.
Medel assured
the national highway linking Davao del Sur and North Cotabato remains
passable. The clash site is about eight
kilometers away from the national highway.
AT 5:25 a.m. two attack
helicopters from 10th Infantry Division conducted air strikes
against undetermined number of communist rebels following a clash in Barangay
Luayon, Makilala, North Cotabato.Lt. Lea
Canseran, 39th IB civil military operations chief, said out of 12 members
of Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGUs), one was killed in action
and seven others were injured.
Detachment
commander is still holding the line, Canseran said.
The air
strikes targeted fleeing rebels in the mountains of Barangay Sto Nino, also in
Makilala, North Cotabato.