Wednesday, January 30, 2008 2 more cops die in battle vs rebels By Ben O. Tesiorna
TWO more policemen were killed in the continuing gunbattles between the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the New People's Army (NPA) in the hinterland boundary areas of Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, and Davao Oriental.
This time, the rebels under one Ka Isko of Front Committee 27 attacked the residence of SPO2 Rolando Suarez of the 1102nd Police Mobile Group in Barangay Bukal, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley at around 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Suarez put up a fight and civilian volunteers also battled it out with the rebels for around an hour, but the policeman was killed.
An unidentified paramilitary man was wounded.
Follow-up operations by the Compostela Valley Provincial Police Mobile Group encountered the rebels around 10:30 a.m. at Sitio Spar 2 in Ngan, Compostela town of Compostela Valley. A certain PO1 Satsuna was killed in this second battle.
Members of Regional Mobile Group 2nd company were deployed to the area to reinforce along with a medical team, while helicopters from Technical Operations Group (TOG) Southern Mindanao have been deployed to give air support.
Last January 27, Private First Class Tito Miranda was killed after about 30 rebels from the Front Committee 20 harassed a military detachment in Barangay Carmen, Boston, Davao Oriental.
On January 24, rebels under Ka Mags of the Guerilla Front 3 encountered soldiers of the Philippine Army's Task Force Raptor in Barangay San Isidro, Tagum City. The encounter caused the evacuation of several residents in the area.
The military claimed to have wounded and killed several rebels but no bodies were recovered from the scene. Officials say that the rebels brought with them the bodies of their fallen comrades.
