By MARTIN SADONGDONG
Government troops killed an alleged head extortion officer of a New People’s Army unit in Bukidnon in an encounter last Friday.
Lt. Col. Oscar Partuza, commanding officer of the Philippine Army 3rd Infantry Battalion station in Davao City, identified the fatality as Eduardo Arnado, alias “Choi.”
A military report said elements of the 3rd and 19th IB were conducting security operations in Damulog when they received a tip about the presence of an armed group in Sitio Lamparuc, Barangay Sampagar.
The troops proceeded to the area and encountered an unknown number of heavily-armed NPA.
A 10-minute firefight ensued between the troops and the NPA until the communists were forced to flee due to heavy losses.
Troops scoured the encounter site and found the abandoned body of Arnado.
A caliber .45 pistol loaded with live ammunition, various spent shells from high-powered firearms, subversive documents, and several personal belongings from the NPA were also recovered by the soldiers.
Partuza said Arnado was the deputy secretary of the Guerilla Front 53 and concurrent head extortionist of NPA units in North Cotabato, northern part of Davao del Norte, and southern Bukidnon.
He added that Damulog Melino Buro conducted a site assessment after the encounter to check residents affected by the firefight and determine the extent of extortion activities of Arnado’s group.
Reinforcements were sent by the Army to run after the fleeing NPA.
Partuza said Arnado’s death is a big blow to the NPA as it would affect the inflow of their financial resources with hampered extortion activities in poor communities in Mindanao.
