Friday, February 01, 2008 Clash foils rebels' plan to attack town By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE bloody encounter between the New People's Army (NPA) members and Army soldiers that resulted to the death of six soldiers in Baganga, Davao Oriental allegedly foiled a rebel plan to raid a town in the area.
Army's 10th Infantry Division spokesman Colonel Benito de Leon said they received information that the rebels, numbering to about 100, were on their way to a nearby municipality when soldiers from the Army's 67th IB chanced upon the rebels.
De Leon, however, could not say for certain which municipality the rebels are planning to raid that day.
"Must be any of those close by," de Leon said.
Wednesday's encounter is so far the bloodiest since skirmishes all over the region started last week.
Killed in the Baganga encounter were Corporal Manny Ahadain, Private First Class Glenn Pingcas, Albert Sipsip, Roger Arabis, Arnel Parojinog and Cafgu Francisco Kabir.
Several soldiers were also wounded and are now recuperating at a hospital in Mati City.
The encounter brought the total number of casualties in the government side to nine killed and several wounded in the separate battles all over the region that started since last week.
Intermittent fighting has been happening since January 24 in the provinces of Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental.
