The incident occurred three days after yet another clash that killed five guerrillas and two soldiers in Dinalupihan, Bataan, and an ambush that killed eight soldiers in Bontoc, Mt. Province last Monday.
Col. Jovenal Narcise, commander of the Army’s 702nd Infantry Brigade, reported to Maj. Gen. Alberto Braganza of the 7th Infantry Division that members of the 71st Infantry Battalion and the K Force of the 7th ID were on their way to the 5th Infantry Division in Gamu, Isabela when they were fired upon.
The soldiers, on board an M-35 military truck, were to deliver generators, spare parts and office equipment they had picked up in Manila to the 5th ID.
Narcise said a group of Army soldiers, headed by 2Lt. Armand Gutierrez, happened to be nearby and immediately came to the rescue, forcing the rebels to flee northeast. A guerrilla, identified as Joselito Joaquin, was captured.
He quoted witnesses as saying that some of the fleeing rebels were wounded.
Last Tuesday, five suspected guerrillas and two soldiers were killed in another gunbattle that lasted for two and a half hours in "rebel-influenced" Barangay Pagalanggang in Dinalupihan, Bataan.
Earlier that day, about 80 of the rebels reportedly gathered in the village for the summary execution of one Jony Aguilar who, the military said, had refused to give in to the NPA’s demand for "revolutionary taxes."
Col. Preme Monta, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom), said five guerrillas were killed in the clash.
He said the firefight also left two soldiers, identified as Sgt. Timothy Epad and S/Sgt. Edgar Patay, dead, and a third one, Sgt. Mario Isoc, wounded.
Last Monday, eight Army non-combatants were killed when they were ambushed in Bontoc, Mt. Province.
Despite such setbacks, Monta said Maj. Gen. Romeo Dominguez, Nolcom commander, is confident that the 7th ID, which Braganza heads, would be able to sustain its momentum in fighting the communist rebels "because of the full support and assistance extended by the populace."
"The timely and factual reports being fed by concerned members of the community contributed immensely to the success of ongoing (counter-insurgency) operations," he said. — With James Mananghaya