FIVE New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed while two soldiers were wounded in a clash in the hinterlands of Bukidnon, a military official said Wednesday.
Lieutenant Colonel Nasser Lidasan, Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion commander, said the clash ensued around 4:14 p.m. Tuesday in the village of Mendis, Pangantucan, Bukidnon.
Lidasan said the troops were on security patrol when fired upon by a group of NPA rebels, led by a certain Ka Andy, which triggered the firefight as the soldiers returned fire.
Lidasan said the troops were sent out to conduct security patrol following the reported presence of the NPA rebels in the village of Mendis, Pangantucan.
Lidasan said the NPA rebels fled to different directions as the troops outmaneuvered them.
He said the troops recovered at the clash site an AK-47 rifle, 19 back packs, food and medical supplies, and subversive documents of high intelligence value.
He said the troops are tracking down the fleeing NPA rebels.
He said they have coordinated with the Municipal Government of Pangantucan to provide decent burial to the slain NPA rebels, whose remains were abandoned by their comrades.
“We will provide the necessary assistance to concerned local officials in order to facilitate the decent burial of dead NPA members,” Lidasan added.
He said the town officials, in coordination with the police, are exerting efforts to establish the identities of the slain NPA rebels.