Soldier killed,4 others hurt in Davao clash

DAVAO CITY – A Philippine Army soldier was killed while four others were wounded in an encounter yesterday with communist rebels in Sitio Bandira, Barangay Caningag, Caraga, Davao Oriental.

According to Lt. Col. Joselito Rolando Bautista, civil-military officer of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, a team from the 67th Infantry Battalion was conducting an operation in the said vicinity when they chanced upon a band of New People’s Army insurgents believed to be led by a certain Commander Ryan of Front 15 of the rebels’ Southern Mindanao Regional Command.

However, Bautista first refused to divulge the identity of the slain soldier and the wounded victims as their families have to be first notified about the incident.

Bautista said the firefight lasted for more than 30 minutes, afterwhich the rebels retreated to unknown directions carrying with them their own slain comrades.

100th Infantry Brigade chief Brig, Gen. Carlos Holganza said the rebels also suffered many casualties although they were able to bring with them their fallen comrades as they fled.

Holganza has deployed additional forces to the area to further pursue the attacking rebels. – Edith Regalado