CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (Mindanao Examiner / Nov. 13, 2011) – Government troops killed a communist rebel in a fire fight that broke out Sunday in the southern Philippine city of Gingoog, officials said.
Officials said the fighting erupted in the village of San Miguel at around 5:45 a.m. after patrolling troops caught up with group of New People’s Army and a gun battle ensued killing one of the rebels.
Soldiers also recovered two claymore mines, a fragmentation grenade and anti-government propaganda from the retreating rebels, said Army Major Eugenio Osias, a spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division.
“One rebel was killed in the fighting and none from the military side,” he told the Mindanao Examiner.
He said villagers tipped off the military about the presence of rebels in the area.
“The information came from civilians in the area who were victims of rebel extortion. This only proves that civilian cooperation and support is a key to helping solve the insurgency problem. The NPAs are now losing support from the masses due to the atrocities they are committing against innocent civilians,” he said.
The NPA is fighting for decades now for the establishment of a communist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)
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