3 NPA rebels die in Ilocos Sur clash

STA. LUCIA, Ilocos Sur – Three suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA), two of them women, died Thursday night after a brief firefight with Army troopers and police operatives in Barangay Namatican, Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur.

Lieutenant Colonel Rodrigo Mariñas, Jr., commanding officer of the Army’s 81st Infantry Battalion, said the three alleged rebels were killed in a 10-minute gunbattle.

The three fatalities were identified as Ka Goyo, alleged secretary of the Kilusang Larangang Guerilya Southern Ilocos Sur (KLG SIS); Ka Aunor, reportedly deputy secretary of KLG SIS; and one Maria Finela Cavero alias Ka Ricky.

Mariñas said that at around 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, his troops received information from residents about the presence of at least five armed rebels at the house of a certain Henry Dumag.

“The suspected NPA rebels were reported to have met inside the house before the encounter,” he said.

Mariñas led his troops to the area, where they were fired upon by suspected NPA rebels, triggering a gunfight that resulted in the death of Ka Goyo, Ka Aunor, and Ka Ricky.

During the clearing operation, the responding Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) team recovered from the battle site two .45-caliber pistols, a pink sling bag containing one hand grenade wrapped with black electric tape, bullets cartridge shells, and subversive documents, among others.

He said that the bodies of the rebels were brought to Acosta Funeral Homes for paraffin test and other examinations.