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Friday, March 02, 2007
2 communist rebels killed; 2 others nabbed
By Stephen Capillas
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Troops killed two New People's Army (NPA) rebels and captured two others Thursday after catching up with the fleeing group in a village in Binuangan town in Misamis Oriental.
The Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID) deployed troops to run after the guerillas after an encounter in Sitio Nabugo in Barangay Mosangot of the same town.
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In a radio interview, Eighth Infantry Battalion (IB) commanding officer Colonel Eric Vinuya said two rebels were killed while two others were captured during the encounter.
Following the incident, the Provincial Government said it would send a team to Binuangan town to investigate the encounter and coordinate with authorities on how best to avert violence in the town.
Misamis Oriental Governor Oscar Moreno voiced alarm over the encounter even as he expressed hopes that it will not result in any outbreak or escalation of violence.
Binuangan Mayor Pastor Salarda, for his part, said he would coordinate with authorities to allow the communist NPA rebels to retrieve the remains of their fallen comrades in battle.
Killed during the encounter was 20-year-old Loloy "Queen/King" Saraos, the second in command of the team run by a certain Mar "Bobbit" Lopez of the NPA Front Committee assigned in that area.
The identity of the other casualty, earlier wrongfully identified as Mar Lopez, has yet to determined as of Thursday.
The two captured guerillas--two communist NPA Amazons identified as Annabelle "Aira" Mansiquiao and Lenlen "Jinky" Cabusog--got wounded and were arrested by 8th IB troops in the town.
Mansiquiao and Cabusog confirmed that one of those killed was Saraos.
Cabusog was brought to the Northern Mindanao Medical Center for treatment but she was guarded to prevent her escape.
Cabusog, who reportedly serves as the medical officer of the NPA unit in the area, reportedly sustained gunshot wounds on her foot and leg. Her parents arrived in the hospital and were said to be surprised about her affiliation with the communist rebels.
Confiscated from the nabbed rebels' possession were two grenades and various subversive documents among others.
Vinuya said in a TV interview that the encounter only proved their suspicion that the communist NPA rebels are extending their presence to the countryside. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro. (March 2, 2007 issue)
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