Troops overrun NPA camp

ZAMBOANGA CITY - Military troops overran a communist camp after an encounter with 60 fully armed rebels that left two soldiers wounded in Monkayo, Compostela Valley last Thursday.

Reports reaching the military headquarters here disclosed several members of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels were also wounded during the 30-minute firefight.

Brig. Gen. Alberto Braganza, Southern Command vice commander, said the troops also recovered a claymore mine, five sacks of food stuffs, six jungle packs containing personal belongings, one radiotransceiver, and training paraphernalias.

Braganza identified the two wounded soldiers as Pfc. Arturo Macay and Pfc. Arturo Leberado, both of the 60th Infantry Battalion.

He said the troops led by Capt. Jonathan Gayas and Lt. Fernando Cayda, stormed the rebel camp at Sitio Anagasi, Barangay Casoon, Monkayo town at about 9:30 a.m.

The rebels engaged the troops in 30-minute gunbattle but later withdrew after sensing many of their comrades had been wounded.

"The encounter resulted to the neutralization of the enemy camp," according to Gen. Braganza who said that the offensive was a standing order of Southern Command Chief Lt. Gen. Edgardo Espinosa to flush out communist rebels.

Espinosa said threats from the communist rebels have dwindled following the surrender last week of Amado Payot alias Commander Benzar, and his younger brother. -