RECOVERED FIREARMS. The Army's 23rd Infantry Brigade display the firearms and other materials they recovered after a 15-minute firefight with the New People’s Army rebels in Sitio San Jose, Barangay Durian in Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte on Wednesday (Dec. 4, 2019). (Photo courtesy of 23IB)
BUTUAN CITY – A rebel was killed during an armed confrontation between government troops and communist New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas on Wednesday morning in Las Nieves town, Agusan del Norte, an official said.
The clash in Barangay Durian also resulted in the recovery of three high-powered firearms, ammunition, documents, and personal belongings, the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion said in a statement on Thursday.
Lt. Col. Francisco Molina, 23IB commander, said the encounter ensued after government troops responded to civilian tipoff about the presence of NPA rebels in the village's Sitio San Jose.
Molina said that after the 15-minute clash with members of the Guerrilla Front 4A of the NPA's North Central Mindanao Regional Command, the rebels led by a certain Eddie Mangubat retreated, leaving behind a dead comrade.
Government troopers recovered an AK-47 rifle, two M16 rifles, four laptops, a generator, backpacks, sacks of rice, food supplies, medicines, subversive documents, and other personal belongings.
The Army turned over the cadaver of the NPA member to the village leaders in the area for identification and proper disposition, Molina said.
“The (NPA) members risk their lives fighting for the false ideologies and propaganda, but their comrades just left them when they needed them the most,” the Army official said.
He also urged the remaining NPA members in the area to go back to the mainstream society and avail of the government's livelihood program for surrenderers.
Molina also commended the residents in the area who provided information on the presence of the NPA rebels. (PNA)
