Intel info reports 15 NPA casualties in Lambunao encounter
Monday's 30-minute encounter between government troopers and some 27 rebels of the communist-terrorists New People's Army (NPA) reportedly left a total of 15 casualties in the enemy side.
In a report from a highly-placed intelligence source, The News Today (TNT) learned that nine of the rebels died while six were seriously injured. A thorough check is currently underway in all district hospitals and private clinics in Central Iloilo where the wounded NPAs are believed to be treated.
The encounter site, hilly and forested portion of Barangay Sagcop in Lambunao, Iloilo towards neighboring barangays up to the adjacent Calinog area are being checked with Army soldiers combing through the perimeter. It is here where the dead rebels are expected to be buried usually in shallow graves.
Civilian informants told TNT that the encounter occurred seconds after the nine-man Army group of 47th IB's Charlie Company chanced upon the rebels resting in the secluded and forested area of Barangay Sagcop.
A male rebel look-out was apparently caught off guard when seen by Private First Class Norly Camilon with Camilon firing at least 30 rounds from his service armalite rifle. The rest of the Army soldiers were about ten meters away from Camilon when the first round of shots were fired.
Crime scene saw a lot of bloodstains that was evident of the massive injuries sustained by the rebels. The government side saw one casualty in PFC Camilon who fell from a rebel sniper's bullet.
Tension and fear has since enveloped residents of Barangay Sagcop particularly as information got out of an early call for government help amidst complaints of missing cattle here.
A barangay official reached by radio reporters expressed shock over the incident saying for as long as the rebels are not stopped, their village remains under threat.
Tension was even high yesterday as the NPAs marked its 38th anniversary.
The Army in a statement condemned the continued armed battle of the rebels as it slammed Communist Party of the Philippines hierarchy.
"The NPAs' achievements include extortion activities perpetuated in the transportation and business sector, government's pro-poor projects where they demand some 30 to 60% revolutionary taxes, human rights violations which includes murder that they call political killings when in fact it is them doing it to liquidate their former comrades then put the blame to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and recruitment of minors who are aged 12 to 15 for their armed battle," the statement went.