4 Reds killed, soldier hurt in Albay, Batangas clashes

PILI, Camarines Sur — Four communist guerrillas were slain, a soldier wounded and part of a schoolhouse burned down during a spate of attacks, the military said yesterday.

About 15 guerrillas of the New People’s Army (NPA) clashed with soldiers in Barangay Along-ong in Libon, Albay the other day, leaving three insurgents dead, said Brig. Gen. John Bolhayon, commanding officer of the Army’s 9th Infantry Brigade.

The firefight erupted when elements of the 22nd Infantry Battalion went to Sitio Divisoria in Along-ong to verify reports about the presence of armed guerrillas there.

Five high-powered firearms and subversive documents were found at the clash site. The slain rebels remain unidentified.

Since January, military offensives in Bicol have left 19 insurgents dead and 10 others wounded and resulted in the capture of four, Col. Noel Cabides, 9th Infantry Brigade spokesman, earlier told the regional peace and order council.

At least 409 Bicol barangays are classified as "rebel-influenced," and 272 others as "infiltrated."

NPA fighters also clashed with an Air Force unit securing the Batangas town of Nasugbu last Friday, Lucero said.

A soldier, Cpl. Albert Francis Cabello, was wounded in the firefight at the boundary of Barangays Bulihan and Munting Indang.

Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Magtibay, Batangas police director, said an NPA amazon, still unidentified, was killed in the clash.

The military also accused the NPA of burning down five rooms of a school building in Pilar, Sorsogon last Wednesday.

It said the rebels set fire to the building after a contractor refused their extortion demands.

Last week, President Arroyo said her government was set to resume exploratory talks with the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, two years after negotiations were suspended when two legislators were gunned down. — With Rene Alviar, Arnell Ozaeta and AFP