TWO New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in a clash with government forces in the hinterlands of South Cotabato, the military said Friday, May 24.
The Army’s 6th Infantry Division (ID) identified the two slain NPA rebels as Yasser Catacutan and Eizar Emam.
The 6ID did not release the identity of the wounded soldier except to say he is a personnel of the 5th Special Forces Battalion.
The 6ID said the clash happened on Monday, May 20, in Talcon village, T’boli, Sur Cotabato.
The 6ID said the clash happened when the two NPA rebels opened fire upon seeing the approaching soldiers and policemen, who were about to serve an arrest warrant against Catacutan.
The 6ID said Catacutan is facing murder charges in a court in T’boli, South Cotabato.
The 6ID said the two rebels were found wounded following a 10-minute fire fight and were rushed to the hospital together with the wounded soldier but the attending physician declared them dead on arrival.
The wounded soldier was admitted at the hospital for treatment.
The troops recovered at the clash site a caliber .45 pistol, a container containing blasting cap and battery, the 6ID said. (SunStar Zamboanga)