6 NPAs, 2 soldiers die in Surigao clash

SURIGAO CITY — Six suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and two soldiers were killed in an encounter in a remote barangay in Surigao del Norte yesterday.

Last Thursday, an NPA guerrilla was also killed in an encounter with troops in Camarines Sur, while Army Scout Rangers arrested a rebel in Davao Oriental on Wednesday.

Surigao del Norte police commander Superintendent Ricky Naz Nerbez identified one of the dead rebels as Eusebio Dumaguit, alias Ka Iraq, of the NPA Northeastern Mindanao Committee’s "Front 16."

Nerbez said Dumaguit had earlier posted bail after he was jailed for an offense that the police official did not specify.

The five other guerrillas slain in fighting in Barangay Pungtod in Surigao del Norte remained unidentified, he said.

Meanwhile, government troops killed an NPA rebel in a clash in Barangay Sto. Niño in Iriga City at around 4 a.m. on Thursday, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Joselito Kakilala said.

The soldiers recovered a caliber .38 revolver with five bullets and personal effects from the scene, he said.

In Davao Oriental, Scout Rangers arrested an NPA rebel during an encounter in Barangay Manaue in Boston town.

Meanwhile, police and military authorities tightened security at the Surigao City airport yesterday afternoon for the arrival of candidates of Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) led by standard-bearer Fernando Poe Jr.

The KNP candidates were met by former Surigao del Norte governor Francisco Matugas, former representative Constantino Navarro Jr., Vice Gov. Cruz Yuipco Jr. and three mayors of Surigao del Norte.

Thousands of people were estimated to have lined the streets from the airport to downtown Surigao City to welcome the motorcade of Poe.

"The reception of the Surigao City crowd for FPJ and party was phenomenal and can never be duplicated again for years as this is the first time in Surigao City’s history that such mammoth crowd (went out) to the streets to take a glimpse of FPJ," Matugas said.

Poe’s motorcade stopped at the 10,000-capacity Surigao del Norte provincial gym, which was jampacked, and an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 waited outside to get a glimpse of Poe. — Ben Serrano, Christina Mendez