3 rebs killed, explosives seized in Isabela

CAMP MELCHOR DE LA CRUZ, Gamu, Isabela — Three New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas were killed in an encounter with Army soldiers in Benito Soliven, Isabela last Friday morning, the military said.

A report reaching Maj. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, commander of the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom), identified one of the slain rebels as Adiong Dancel, alias Yankee, listed as 23rd in the military’s order of battle.

The fatalities reportedly belonged to the NPA’s Cagayan Valley Regional Committee led by a certain Ka Owen.

"This is another major breakthrough in our anti-insurgency drive," Tolentino said.

Nolcom said men of the Army’s 45th Infantry Battalion, led by Lt. Arnulfo Marcos, also seized from the rebels a significant quantity of explosives, an M-16 rifle, three rifle grenades, an improvised grenade, ammunition for M203 rifles, and subversive documents.

The Nolcom said Marcos’ group had been tipped off by villagers about the presence of the armed rebels who were demanding "revolutionary taxes" from them. — Charlie Lagasca, Ding Cervantes, James Mananghaya and Artemio Dumlao