BY FREDDIE LAZARO
Six members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA), a soldier, and a civilian were killed in a fierce gunbattle between a group of insurgents and the troops of the Army’s 702nd Infantry Brigade in Barangay Suagayan, Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur that started on Saturday afternoon.
Five soldiers, two civilians, and an undetermined number of NPA rebels were also wounded in the clash.
Army Major Rogelio Dumbrigue, commanding officer of the Civil-Military Operation (CMO) of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division, identified the two of the dead NPA rebels as Ka Maymay and Rolando Marvil alias Eugene, team leader of the Kilusang Larangang Guerilya – Southern Ilocos Sur (KLG-SIS). The four other slain rebels have yet to be identified.
The bodies of the two rebels were recovered on Saturday while the four others were found on Sunday morning.
“As of press time, the Army troops are presently conducting hot pursuit operations for the escaping NPA rebels who reportedly dragged their wounded comrades,” he said.
They withheld the names of the dead soldier pending notification to his family. The slain civilian was a resident of Candon City, Ilocos Sur, the military said.
According to Dumbrigue, the civilian, who was engaged in selling fruits and vegetables, was reportedly shot by the escaping NPA rebels after he was mistaken for an intelligence operative of the Army.
Dumbrigue said the five wounded soldiers are now in stable condition in the hospital where two other civilians, who were hit by stray bullets, were being treated.
He said that the encounter started at about 2 p.m. on Saturday after the government troops were informed by concerned citizens about the presence of at least 15 fully-armed NPA rebels in Barangay Suagayan, Sta. Lucia town.
He said that the armed men were reportedly members of the KLG SIS headed by a certain Ronnie Garvida alias Nero.
During the encounter, Dumbrigue said the soldiers overpowered the NPA rebels, prompting them to flee, leaving behind their two dead comrades and dragging their wounded buddies.
Dumbrigue said the troops recovered from encounter site four M-16 Armalite rifles, one M-14 rifle, one carbine rifle, one shotgun, and two hand grenades. (Freddie G. Lazaro)
