Soldiers capture alleged female NPA member in Abra

July 3, 2017

An alleged female member of New People’s Army (NPA) was captured while high powered firearms were recovered after an encounter with government troops in the province of Abra last Saturday. Captain Jefferson Somera, spokesman of the Army’s 5th Infantry Division, said the troops of 24th Infantry Battalion encountered the rebels at the vicinity of in Brgy Kilong-olao, Boliney town around 3pm. Somera said, according to Lt. Col. Thomas Dominic Baluga, commander of 24th IB, his troops were conducting security patrols to verify reported presence of armed men in the area when they were fired upon, triggering the gun battle. He said the encounter has resulted to the apprehension of a wounded NPA member identified as alias Joan and recovery of six high-powered firearms. Somera said the recovered firearm includes three M16A1 armalite rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, and two M14 rifles. “The government forces also recovered 15 backpacks with personal belongings, subversive documents, two handheld radios, eight cell phones, assorted medical paraphernalia, binocular and different types of ammunition and magazines for M16 and M14 rifles,” he said. (Robina Asido/DMS)