5 NPAs killed in Abra, arms seized in Kalinga

BANGUED, Abra -- Five New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, one of them a ranking leader of the insurgent group, were killed in a fierce firefight with government troops in this province Thursday morning.

Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, commander of the Army’s 1st Civil Relations Group (CRG), said eight firearms were also recovered by the soldiers from the Maoist rebels.

According to Garcia, the gunbattle broke out around 5 a.m. at Barangay Guinguinabang, Lacub town in Abra.

He identified one of those killed as Arnold Jaramillo alias “Ka Mando”, secretary of the Abra provincial party political committee and a notorious NPA leader in the province.

Garcia said Army troops from the 41st Infantry Battalion led by Captain Dionizer Mark D. Delos Santos were conducting combat operation in said barangay when they discovered a temporary encampment of the rebel group.

He added, there were about 50 fully-armed NPA members, including at least 15 females, in the encampment which is reportedly being used as a training site for the new recruits of the rebel group.

Prior to the firefight, the military received reports from the local populace about the presence of armed men passing through some villages collecting foodstuff, money and enticing young folks to go with them.

Lt. Col.  Virgilio Noora, 41IB commander, confirmed the encounter saying slain rebels in the 5 a.m. encounter saying other rebels were still being identified.

“Initially, five high-powered firearms were also recovered from the encounter site; however, no casualty in the government side,” Noora said.

The encounter followed Thursday’s discovery of high-powered firearms and ammunition belonging to the NPA in Barangay Calaccad, Tabuk City, Kalinga

Lt. Col. Resurrecion Mariano, commander of the army’s 17th Infantry Battalion (17IB), said his troops under Lt. Bulquerin found a Colt M-16 rifle with defaced serial number, an M2 Carbine rifle bearing serial number 245909, and assorted rifle magazines during their search operation.

“These guns might be used by the NPA for their extortion and other terroristic activities in the area,” Mariano said. – With reports from Freddie Lazaro