4 Reds slain in Isabela, Ilocos Norte encounters

ANGELES CITY — Four New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, including two amazons, were killed, while two civilians — a mother and child — were wounded in clashes between communist rebels and Army soldiers in Isabela and Ilocos Norte, the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) said yesterday.

Nolcom said the two female rebels, still unidentified, were killed, while two civilians — Edralin Conception and her daughter, Milagrosa — were hit by stray bullets in the encounter in Barangay Ara, Benito Soliven, Isabela.

The soldiers of the 52nd Reconnaissance Company initially asked the rebels to surrender, but they instead fired back, hitting the two civilians, Nolcom said.

Two other guerrillas were killed and two were captured yesterday morning in an encounter with men of the 50th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Uguis, Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte.

Last week, rebels overran a military detachment in Tubo, Abra and carted away 11 firearms. — Ding Cervantes, Artemio Dumlao, Jaime Laude and Charlie Lagasca