GOVERNMENT troops have captured a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel and foiled an NPA roadside bombing attempt in Mindanao, officials said Sunday.
The NPA rebel was captured following a clash in the province of Zamboanga del Sur while the roadside bombing attempt was foiled in Davao City.
Senior Superintendent Sofronio Ecaldre, Zamboanga del Sur police director, said the clash ensued around 11:50 a.m. Saturday in Sitio Lanaya in the village of Gasa, Lakewood municipality.
Ecaldre said the troops from the Charlie Company of the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion were on combat patrol when they clashed with a group of NPA rebels.
Ecaldre said the fire fight lasted for about 10 minutes and after which the NPA rebels fled to different directions.
He did not release the identity of the captured NPA rebel, except in saying the latter belongs to the Front Committee Kara of the NPA’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee.
Major Ezra Balagtey, Eastern Mindanao Command information officer, said the roadside bombing was foiled following the discovery of an improvised explosive device (IED) on Saturday in the village of Inayangan, Calinan District, Davao City.
Balagtey said the discovery of the IED came as the residents in the village of Inayangan tipped off to the troops about an IED laid in the area.
He said the troops and Army Explosive Ordnance Demolition team rendered safety procedure and defused the IED. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)