DAVAO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 30, 2012) – Two communist rebels were killed by army soldiers in fighting that broke out early Friday in Compostela Valley province in the southern Philippines, security officials said.
They said the clash occurred in the village called Lebanon in the town of Montevista when patrolling troops ran into a group of New People’s Army rebels.
Col. Antonio Florendo, commander of the 66th Infantry Battalion, said no soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting that broke out at around 3 a.m.
He claimed villagers complained to the military that rebels were extorting money from them.
“Troops recovered one .45-caliber pistol and a landmine from the slain rebels,” he said.
Florendo identified the rebels as Joriben Caipan, 20, and Christopher Mawang, 18, who were both from Montevista town. He said the families took the bodies of the rebels.
There was no immediate statement from the NPA which is fighting for decades for the establishment of a separate state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)
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