Soldier killed in NPA attack

ILIGAN CITY -- Some 30 suspected communist rebels launched yet another attack on Sunday, November 12, leaving a soldier dead and another wounded in Barangay Rogongon, Iligan City.

The lone fatality was identified as Technical Sergeant Edgar Andal of the Army’s 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion (4th Mech) while wounded soldier, also of 4th Mech, was identified as Corporal Raymart Pamplona.

An Army official said Andal and Pamplona were performing a routine check of the road network in the area to see if the roads were passabl.

Colonel Alex Aduca, 4th Mech commander, Andal and Pamplona were on board a motorcycle and were between Sitio Dunggoan and Sitio Kalamalamahan, Barangay Rogongon when they saw a checkpoint.

Aduca said, Andal and Pamplona became aware that the checkpoint was not being manned by policemen or soldiers prompting them to turn back.

Aduca said the two soldiers were fired upon as they tried to speed away.

Pamplona, although wounded, was able to drive back to their patrol base leaving lifeless Andal who had fallen from the motorcycle.

Members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) and Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) helped retrieved Andal's remains, Aduca said.

Aduca said the armed men were members of the New People’s Army’s (NPA’s) Guerilla Front 68.

He said the group has been operating for sometime now at the boundaries of Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon, including Rogongon, a boudary of Iligan City, Lanao del Norte.

The group is said to be occupying a community called Malagsom in Sitio Libandayan, Rogongon, an area formerly occupied by the workers of a construction firm that worked on the road projects of the government, Aduca said.