MORE NEWS, ILOCOS SUR

3 rebels killed, several others hurt in clash
By Freddie G. Lazaro

SAN JUAN, Ilocos Sur — Three rebels were killed and many others were wounded in an encounter between a group of New People’s Army guerrillas and government soldiers in Barangay Arangin, Sta. Lucia town afternoon July of 26.

There was no reported casualty in the government troops.

Col. Roy T. de Vesa, commander of the Army’s 50th Infantry Battalion based in San Juan, Ilocos Sur, said that the firefight raged for more than one hour.

The rebels later fled, dragging along with them their wounded comrades as indicated by the bloodstains at the encounter site.

"The encounter started at about 1 p.m. and ended at about 2 p.m.," De Vesa said. "During our clearing operations, we found cadavers of the three slain NPA rebels, one them identified; five high-powered firearms, including two M-16 Armalite rifles, two M-14 rifles and one baby Armalite rifles with assorted live ammunition; and voluminous subversive documents," he added.

Before the encounter, De Vesa said troops of the Alpha Company led by Lt. Bulusan were conducting foot patrol in the mountainous area of Barangay Arangin.

They later responded to reports about the presence of some 30 fully-armed NPA rebels in the area. The NPA rebels were reportedly members of the SYP Sandino group operating in the hinterlands of the second district of Ilocos Sur.