Army, rebels clash in Comval

TROOPS belonging to the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division engaged the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in a gunbattle, recovering highpowered firearms and ammunition in Maco town in Compostela Valley on June 8, Friday evening.

Army's 71st Infantry Battalion public information officer 1st Lt. Jhocell Asis said troops recovered three M16 rifles and 1,532 rounds of the 5.56mm live ammunition at Sitio Tagmani in Barangay Tagbaros in Maco following an encounter.

"The battalion received information from a former rebel about the location of a firearm cache owned by rebels, thus, the troops were send off to the area to retrieve the cache contained of high-powered firearms and bullets," Asis said.

Asis said the troops encountered at least five unidentified rebels believed to be members of the Guerilla Front (GF) 2, Sub-Regional Committee 2, Southern Mindanao Regional Com-

(SMRC) of the NPA in a ball-mill at Sitio Tagmani.

The rebels, who also tried to retrieve the cache, were forced to withdraw after a five-minute firefight, Asis said. She added that the five rebels encountered by troops were allegedly those who extort in the area.

Asis said the battalion will continue to look after those who posed as threat in the communities while securing people in the provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Del Norte from any violence. ICT