5 die, 16 hurt as troops, New Peoples’ Army clash

July 17, 2017

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Five persons, including two soldiers, were killed while 16 were wounded and one alleged New People’s Army rebel was captured in two separate clashes in Zamboanga del Norte, the military said Monday. The Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade said in a statement a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed while six  were wounded in the first clash around 4:50 a.m. Sunday in Biwa, Barangay Titik, Leon Postigo. The second encounter took place around 1:25 p.m. Sunday as troops pursued alleged NPA rebels to disrupt their plans in burning heavy equipment of a construction firm in a road project also in Zamboanga del Norte. Two NPA rebels and two soldiers were killed. The clash occurred when the troops sighted around 40 armed men rebels in Sitio Lubi, Barangay Tinaplan, in the adjacent town of Sindangan. Col. Jacinto Bareng, Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade commander, condemned the acts of the alleged NPA rebels that disrupted infrastructure projects in Zamboanga del Norte. Bareng said they will continue to protect workers implementing the project. He said once the road project is finished, it will allow residents in the hinterlands to bring their farm products to the town centers of Leon Postigo and Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte and Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur.  DMS