The rebels reportedly often pass through Barangay Am—pungol, a mountainous community about 10 to 11 kilometers away from the town proper, to go to Tabuelan, where rebel activities have mounted this year.
Killed were Corporals Jose Peñales, 27, of Masbate, Masbate, and Joseph Peria, 28, of Binal—bagan, Negros Occidental. Wounded was S/Sgt. Antonio Salinas, leader of the seven-man team which encountered the rebels.
Barangay captain Pablo Esnardo identified the civilian fatalities as farmers Ismael Cullamat and Mariano Arnejo, who were caught in the 30-minute clash.
Unconfirmed reports said a certain Luminado Baguio and a child were also wounded in the encounter.
There were also reports that four rebels were killed and two others were wounded.
Sogod Mayor Ana Marie Durano said the Scout Rangers were on routine patrol when they chanced upon the NPA band in Sitio Bungyas in Barangay Am—pungol at about 9:30 a.m. Monday.
The rebels, numbering about 30, were reportedly led by one Ka Brando.
Durano said some 70 to 80 rebels are known to operate in Sogod.
Resident Yol Lumbab said the guerrillas usually asked for food and water but never demanded "revolutionary taxes" from them.
Durano, however, said the situation in the village was under control. "This is not really a big problem. Nobody in Sogod is really threatened by the NPA," she said.
Residents of Sitio Bungyas have been evacuated to the town proper following pursuit operations by government troopers under Capt. Anthony Asiñero.
Meanwhile, Maj. Michael Manquiquis, spokesman of the Visayas Command, blamed the bad weather for the delayed arrival of the chopper that would airlift the wounded soldiers.
He said the soldiers in the area requested for a chopper at about 2 p.m. Monday when the two casualties were still alive.
However, he said the only available combat chopper was in Iloilo City, and it could not be dispatched because of the bad weather.
Manquiquis said they thought of sending an ambulance but knowing that the encounter happened in a mountain barangay, did not push through with it.
He said they had no other choice but to send for a rescue helicopter from the Tactical Operations Command. But it also took a while for the chopper to leave because the TOC did not want the rescue chopper to be caught in the crossfire.
The rescue helicopter took off from the Mactan Ebuen Air Base at about 3:30 p.m. It returned to the VisCom at about 4:45 p.m. with the bodies of the two slain soldiers.
However, Manquiquis refused to confirm if the delay of the rescue helicopter had cost the life of one of the casualties since they had no idea what time the victim died. — Freeman News Service