DAVAO CITY – Two communist rebels were killed in a clash with security forces in the southern Philippine province of Davao del Norte, officials said Monday.
Officials said soldiers and policemen battled the members of the New People’s Army for one hour on October 26 in the village called Gupitan in Kapalong town. Troops also recovered an AK-47 assault rifle from one of the slain rebels, according to army Capt. Alberto Caber, a spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command.
He said the rebels were extorting money from villagers and that civilians tipped off the army about the presence of the gunmen. Caber said there were no casualties on their side.
He said Lt. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, called on rebels to surrender peacefully. “Our campaign here is to win the peace. We want to help NPA members to safely return to the folds of the law and live a normal life,” Baladad was quoted by Caber as saying.
The rebels have been fighting for a separate state for decades now and peace talks launched by previous presidents had failed due to various demands by the communists, among them was the release of all political detainees, including NPA leaders. (Mindanao Examiner)
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