Col. Francisco Simbajon, public information officer of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said men of the 60th Infantry Battalion received information that some 30 heavily armed rebels were planning to stage an attack during the fiesta celebration in Kapalong town.
But the NPA plan was foiled after the soldiers, who set up a checkpoint to secure the town fiesta, intercepted the guerrillas who were on board an Isuzu Elf truck and a mini dump truck in Barangay Maniki. A 30-minute running gunbattle ensued.
The rebels tried to withdraw toward Barangay Kamuning in the adjoining town of Asuncion, but were blocked by another group of soldiers.
Although some of the rebels were able to bring the bodies of their slain comrades and come to the rescue of the critically wounded, they failed to bring the remains of their commander, identified as Verino Antolihao alias Isko/Jopay.Two other soldiers were wounded in the clash.
Maj. Gen. Cardozo Luna, 4th ID chief, has ordered his men to continue pursuing the fleeing rebels.
Luna also directed Col. Luine Mirar of the 401st Infantry Brigade to intensify its operations in the area to flush out the rebels.
Meanwhile, Luna said he is ready to provide assistance to insurgents who wish to surrender and start a new life with their families.
President Arroyo recently declared an all-out war against the communist rebels.
The 7,400-member NPA is one of the world’s oldest Maoist movements still waging a guerrilla war.
The Arroyo administration shelved peace talks with the group two years ago. — James Mananghaya, Mike Baños, Joseph Lawrence Garcia and Roel Pareño