DAVAO CITY — A New People’s Army (NPA) rebels was killed while three soldiers were wounded in an encounter in the Davao Oriental town of Lupon on Saturday afternoon.
Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, Police Regional Office 11 spokesperson, identified the wounded troopers as Sgt. Benjie A. Ortizano, Pfc. Juniel P. Liasgo and Pfc. Warren A. Amora, all members of Army’s 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion.
Driz said that based on the report of the Lupon Municipal Police Station, the soldiers were conducting military patrol in Purok Kinawasan in Barangay San Isidro when they chanced upon the rebels.
Army Capt. Victor Inting, the Army’s 28th Infantry Battalion civil-military operations officer, said the troops recovered the body of an NPA casualty following the encounter.
He added that the firefight may have resulted in multiple casualties on the part of the rebels.
Inting said the troops also recovered improvised explosive device, wires, blasting caps, rifle grenades, ammunition and personal belongings of the rebels.
He said the wounded soldiers were immediately evacuated by helicopter to Camp Panacan Station Hospital for treatment, while the body of the slain rebel was turned over to local officials for proper disposition.
“All internally displaced persons, as a result of the encounter, were swiftly attended to by the local government officials and agencies,” he added.
Inting urged the rebels, especially the wounded, to surrender so that they can be given proper medical care. (Armando Fenequito, Jr./PNA)
