By NONOY E LACSON
KUTA SANG-AN, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur – A lone soldier, whose identity has been purposely concealed by authorities pending information of his kin, was reportedly killed when troops under the 53rd Infantry Battalion’s (53IB) Joint Task Force ZAMPELAN encountered several members of the New People’s Army in Barangay San Isidro, Sergio Osmeña, Zamboanga del Norte, Monday at around 8:30 p.m.
The troops, as led by Lt. Abner C. Pilando, were patrolling the area when attacked by the communist guerrillas.
Lt. Col. Marlowe E. Patria, commanding officer of the 53IB, said the fire fight lasted some 15 minutes before the guerrillas scampered into the darkness.
Government forces recovered the body of a dead NPA fighter after the skirmish, along with a magazine for an AK-47.
“We denounce in strongest terms the continued atrocities of NPAs which killed one of our soldiers and their continuous atrocities against our hapless civilian,” Patria said.
Philippine Army 1st Division commander, Maj. Gen. Roseller G. Murillo, commended the dead soldier as a “hero.”
He said, “Our soldier died a hero while protecting our people and our communities. We will vigorously pursue these NPA terrorists until they will be left with no choice but surrender or get killed.”