ZAMBOANGA CITY – Troops under the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade (102IB) have rescued a wounded civilian shot by New People's Army (NPA) in the hinterlands of Zamboanga del Norte, a military official reported Friday.
Lt. Col. Nolasco Coderos Jr., the Army's 97th Infantry Battalion commander, said Judito Lumon, 30, was shot and wounded by a group of NPA rebels around 5 p.m. Wednesday in Barangay Balok, Katipunan, Zamboanga del Norte.
Lumon and his friend, Noel Segundo, were fishing in a stream in the area when the NPA rebels led by Lito Lumamba opened fire, Coderos said.
Segundo was unhurt.
Nolasco said Lumon was immediately rushed by Army troops stationed near the place of the incident on Wednesday to the Zamboanga del Norte Medical Center for treatment.
Around 2 p.m. Thursday, while tracking down the NPA rebels, the composite troops of the 97IB and 42IB clashed with the group of Lumamba in Barangay Talok.
Lumamba and his followers are remnants of the NPA’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (WMRPC), Coderos said.
He said the clash lasted for 15 minutes, after which the NPA rebels fled. There was no casualty report on both sides.
Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, commander of the Army's 102nd Infantry Brigade, condemned the incident.
"The harming of innocent and unarmed civilians not involved in the armed conflict,” Nicolas said, vowing to extend necessary assistance to the victim and his family. (PNA)
