Ranking NPA chief slain: 10 Red fighters slain In Abra encounter

TINEG, Abra -- A high-ranking leader of the New People's Army in Northern Luzon was among the eight rebels killed by government soldiers in an encounter here Oct 10.

Police identified the slain rebel leader as Loverito Bernal, alias “Oxy”, the commanding officer of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya Northeast of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee, who is from Lacub, Abra.

Two other slain rebels were identified as Reynaldo Masadao, alias “Cris", of Malibcong, Abra; and JunjunBalbin, alias "Recti."

The others were identified through their aliases “Omeng," “Bunso, said to be from Ilocos;" “Berlyn;" "Winnie;" and "Ogie”, both female guerilla fighters and were the group's medical officers.

Police said the lone soldier who died during the encounter was identified as Cpl. Lloyd Tega, a member of the Philippine Army’s 41st Infantry Battalion (IB).

The remains of the dead NPA rebels were brought to Bangued, Abra, for greater access by their relatives and other claimants.

Members of the Philippine Army's 41st IB were on food patrol when they encountered Bernal's group around 7:45 a.m. last Monday.

The encounter lasted for six hours before the rebels withdrew, leaving their eight dead comrades and dragging along several wounded companions.

In the clearing operations, the government troops recovered nine long firearms, an NPA flag, a laptop computer, personal belongings and subversive documents.

Meanwhile, Diego Wadagan, spokesperson of the NPA’s Agustin Begnalen Command in Abra said the 503rd Brigade pounced on the NPA guerillas in Barangay Caganayan, Tineg after being guided by “treacherous elements and caught the guerillas off-guard.”

In a press statement, Wadagan identified their comrades who died as only as KaRencel, Ka Oxy/Alon, KaArbis/Ogie, Ka Recti, Ka Kris, Ka Berlin, KaBunso/Ronald, and KaAndoy.

“While the AFP immediately airlifted their lone casualty and boasted of the massacre in the mass media, unscrupulous elements reported that the bodies of the NPA guerillas were immediately transported to Bangued, the capital town of Abra,” Wadagan said. “But the truth is that as of the moment, families of the slain guerillas and humanitarian groups are still on their way to retrieve the bodies. Earlier efforts by the Municipal Government of Tineg and local townsfolk from Tineg and Lacub to retrieve and transport the bodies were futile, because nobody from the locality can help as most men hid for fear of military reprisal and atrocities; the people were terrorized by continuous bombings and indiscriminate machinegun fire.”

Caganayan is a 4-hour ride and 4-5 hours hike from Bangued.

“We condemn the overuse of firepower not only against the NPA but the terror effect of these acts on the masses. On humanitarian grounds, the AFP should have transported the bodies and stopped military operations in the area to allow safe and unhampered humanitarian missions access to the area,” Wadagan said.