3 NPA rebels killed in Negros clash

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Three suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with soldiers and police officers in Bindoy, Negros Oriental on Thursday.

Col. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade com- mander, said government troopers recovered the bod- ies of the rebels that were abandoned by their com- rades.

Pasaporte said an Army soldier was also wounded in the clash.

He said soldiers seized

a 12-gauge shotgun, a rifle grenade, two bandoliers and backpacks containing per- sonal belongings, assorted medicine, rain boots and subversive documents at the site of the encounter.

Pasaporte said govern- ment troopers were respond- ing to the reported presence of armed men extorting from villagers in Sitio Namun- duan, Barangay Camudlas when the clash occurred.

About 60 families or 260 people reportedly fled their homes to avoid being caught in the crossfire.

Rebel camp seized

In Mindoro, soldiers over- ran what the military be- lieves to be the NPA’s South- ern Tagalog headquarters after a 30-minute firefight in Barangay Manoot in Rizal town, also on Thursday.

Lt. Col. Alexander Arbo- lado, 4th Infantry Battalion commander, said the camp could accommodate around 60 people.

Government troopers re- covered an M16 rifle, a caliber .38 pistol, eight landmines, bomb materials, ammunition,

food items, personal effects and documents of high-intel- ligence value.

In Butuan City, a pregnant NPA rebel was rescued by government troopers in Pu- rok 8, Barangay Nong-nong on Wednesday.

First Lt. Roel Maglal- ang, 23rd Infantry Bat- talion civilian-military officer, said the rebel was brought to a military camp for checkup.  – Michael Punongbayan, Michelle Zoleta, Ben Serrano, Ed Amoroso