9 NPA rebels captured in Quezon

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna — Nine suspected communist guerrillas were captured after they were intercepted in a blockade set up by the police and military in Quezon province last Friday.

Belated reports reaching Chief Superintendent Jesus Ame Verzosa, Calabarzon regional director, said the arrested though unidentified men were suspected to be members of the New People Army (NPA) who were part of a group of NPA fighters earlier encountered by members of the 74th Infantry Battalion and 2nd IB in Sitio Bonglawin, Barangay Burgos and Barangay Magsaysay in Malunay and San Narciso towns in Quezon.

The government troops confiscated from the rebels various subversives documents and a cellphone containing text messages related to the previous encounter.

Verzosa said last week that two unidentified communist guerrillas were killed in an encounter with elements of the Philippine Army in Barangay Magsaysay, Quezon and the police recovered an M16 rifle from the rebels.

‘They were on the run and re-grouped in the area and were planning to escape but they were caught by police and military operatives in a dragnet operations," Verzosa said.