Army captain survives NPA attack

An Army officer survived an attack by about 40 New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in Sultan Kudarat the other day, reports reaching Camp Aguinaldo said.

According to the reports, Capt. Lowen Gil Marquez and other members of the Army’s 47th Infantry Brigade were responding to a call for reinforcements after the insurgents swooped down on the detachment of the 12th CAFGU Auxiliary Unit in Barangay Maligaya, Columbio town, when they were met with gunfire.

The rebels, led by one Commander Al, withdrew after nearly three hours of fighting.

Four civilians were wounded after their vehicle hit a land mine. They were identified as Ismael Guerrero, Bobby Tolentino, Balong Sukob and Susing Mangilay, all residents of Columbio town.

Meanwhile, five commanders and 16 members of the NPA’s Amindawin Command in Leyte are facing charges of robbery in band, homicide and frustrated homicide for the attack on the facilities of the Philippine National Oil Co. (PNOC) in Barangay Lake Danao, Ormoc City last March 26.

Killed during the attack were PO2 Mario Udtuhan and PO1 Michael Dagami, and wounded was PO1 Andres Botana.

The five NPA commanders charged were Luis Villena, Nestor Caliwan, Venrando Caliwan, Conrado Labartini and Jaime Soledad. — With Miriam Garcia Desacada