Death toll in Agusan clashes rises to 19

BUENAVISTA, Agusan del Norte — The death toll in the encounters between military and New People’s Army (NPA) forces here has risen to 19 — 13 soldiers and six guerrillas.

The clashes in Barangay Guinabsan are considered the biggest in the military’s counter-insurgency campaign in terms of the number of casualties.

Military officials blamed poor intelligence work after two platoons of the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion swooped down on an NPA camp in Sitios Manawang and Upper Calumbuyan in Barangay Guinabsan last Thursday only to find out that the rebels had already encircled them.

The result: seven soldiers reportedly died on the spot. Inspector Elmer Berenguel Cinco, Buenavista police chief, said the number of wounded soldiers continues to increase as soldiers still pursue the rebels.

To show its support for the military, Cinco said they have put up roadblocks in all exit points from Barangay Guinabsan and at the Buenavista-Carmen boundary amid reports that the NPA might bring their wounded to hospitals here and in Butuan City.