Government Troops Clash with NPA Extortionists in CamSur
CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, CamSur - Government troops encountered
suspected NPA rebels in a remote village in Camarines Sur at 4:30pm
yesterday, a military officer said.
2nd Lieutenant Alden Brinas, the leading officer of the engaged troops,
said that he received a text message form local residents in Bahi
village in Garchitorena town about the presence of about 6 NPA rebels
who were asking for food provisions from the villagers.
The 35-man platoon was approaching the village center when they were
fired upon by the rebels who positioned themselves behind the cluster of
houses.
A 40-minute firefight ensued after which the rebels withdrew towards the
forested area, carrying with them some of their casualties.
"I have personally seen one terrorist rebel being carried by his
comrade. There were blood traces found along their route of withdrawal.
If not due to the presence of civilians, we could have annihilated those
bandits," said Brinas.
The soldiers confiscated a Cal 5.56mm M16A1 Rifle and several rounds of
ammunition from the encounter site.
Brinas also reported that he had identified some of the military
uniforms and accessories owned by his slain mistah, 2nd Lieutenant
Miguel Logronio Jr, who died in an NPA ambush in Presentacion town on
May 29.
"All of my missing soldiers are already accounted for. We will
immediately transport them towards our headquarters in Nabua town," said
Cruz.
Cruz identified the dead as First Lieutenant Miguel Logronio Jr a member
of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 2009, Corporal Arturo
Hernandez, Pfc Albert Jamera, and Pfc Edwin Britannico. All of them
suffered multiple gunshot wounds and shrapnel wounds.
Responding soldiers also found Private First Class Bernard Vergara who
was unscathed in the said ambush.
Vergara was among the five soldiers reported missing by military
authorities. He was able to send a text message to his superiors about
his status, triggering the large-scale rescue operations starting early
this morning.
"I was lucky enough to have jumped towards a defilade area during the
detonation of the first set of landmines. We gave them a good fight but
the terrorist rebels have occupied a higher ground. The number of
Molotov bombs and grenades thrown at us seemed endless so I decided to
crawl farther away from the encounter site," said Vergara.
"We had also inflicted casualties among our ambushers. I have personally
seen them carrying their dead and wounded from my concealed position
near the encounter site," Vergara added.
Responding soldiers led by First Lieutenant Nonito Alcala found four
unexploded landmines near the roadside. His troops also discovered some
droplets of blood in the rebel positions.
"The rebels were planning to wipe out any military vehicle that will
pass by their ambush position. They have planted larger sized landmines
near the road and any large truck can be blown to pieces by those
mines," Alcala said.
Major General Ruperto Pabustan, Commander of the 9th Infantry Division,
has directed the 902nd Brigade to intensify its combat patrols and
security operations to protect the road project which links Presentacion
and Caramoan towns.
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