NPA leader, follower slain in Agusan del Sur encounter

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — An alleged ranking official of the New People’s Army (NPA) and his follower were killed in an encounter in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur on Thursday.

Larry Garcia, reportedly chief of the Sentro de Gravidad Group of the NPA’s Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee, and his aide Garing Opriyano died from multiple gunshot wounds, the military said.

The encounter occurred a day after the alleged highest female official of the NPA was killed in another firefight in Agusan del Norte.

Myrna Solarte, alias Maria Malaya, said to be the secretary of the defunct Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee, was killed in an encounter in Butuan City on Wednesday afternoon.

The military said Solarte was a member of the political bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Col. Emil Cruz, acting chief of the Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade, said the firefight in Barangay San Lorenzo in Prosperidad town lasted 10 minutes.

Reports said a team of the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion was responding to information about the presence of armed men in Sitio Katipunan when Garcia’s group fired shots at the soldiers, triggering a firefight.

Authorities said Garcia was facing charges of multiple murder, extortion and drug trafficking in different courts in Northern Mindanao and Caraga.

Soldiers turned over the remains of the fatalities to local officials for proper disposition.