Bukidnon crossfire wounds guide, scares 7 bird-watchers

CAGAYAN DE ORO (Updated) -- A tour guide was injured while seven foreigners were unhurt as they cut short their bird-watching when the military and undetermined number of communist rebels clashed on Mount Kitanglad in Sitio Damitan, Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay.

Hit by a stray bullet was Carlito Gayramara, a member of Kitanglad Guard Volunteer (KGV), said Inspector Jiselle Longakit, Bukidnon provincial police information officer.

A Malaybalay police report forwarded to Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro revealed that a team of the Philippine Army’s Special Forces Battalion encountered a group of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in the area that resulted in a firefight.

Longakit said Gayramara and the foreigners -- three Britons, three Danes and an Australian -- were at Del Monte lodge in Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay when the incident happened.

Colonel Jesse Alvarez, an army commander in the area, said the military was not aware the bird-watchers were there when the 10-minute firefight ensued.

At press time Friday, the identities of the foreign birdwatchers have not been divulged, but Longakit said all of them arrived safe in Cagayan de Oro Friday afternoon.

“Not one of them was hurt and everyone was accounted for,” she said.

Longakit said the foreigners were supposed to stay at a plantation lodge for three days but it was cut short due to the encounter.

“They were scheduled to check in at Del Monte lodge from February 11 to 14, for a three-day-two-night stay,” she added.

Permit

The foreign visitors, she said, had secured a visitor’s permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) Protected Area Management, giving them access to watch native species of birds within the Mount Kitanglad vicinity.

A text message from Major Jennan Montealto, spokesman of the Philippine Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade based in Malaybalay City, a unit of the 4th Infantry Division, said the Special Forces led by First Lieutenant Lorefel Judaya clashed with the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 68.

“[There was] no casualty on the government side,” Montealto added.

No casualty

Major Christian Uy, 4ID spokesman, called up Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro and confirmed no one was killed, either NPA, military or civilians.

According to Gayrama’s daughter Jinky, his father is now confined in a hospital and needing blood transfusion.

“Dako kaayo ang iyang samad sa wala nga bukton (He has a large wound on his left arm),” Jinky told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro by phone Friday.

As of Friday afternoon, Gayramara’s family was in search of Type A blood for him, she added. (With AP/Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)

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