A deputy secretary of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Masbate province was wounded after government troops clashed with communist rebels in Palanas town on Sunday morning (May 10), the military said.
In a phone interview with the Inquirer, Col. Angel Lutera, commander of the 903rd Infantry Brigade, said soldiers from the 2nd Infantry Battalion encountered five members of the Komiteng Larangang Guerilla South under Sub-Regional Committee 4 in Barangay Miabas around 5:30 a.m.
The firefight lasted about five minutes before the rebels fled, leaving behind a caliber .45 pistol, magazines, documents and personal belongings.
Lutera said troops launched the operation after receiving a text message from a resident reporting the presence of armed rebels in the area.
He identified the wounded rebel leader as Raul ‘Luding’ Tolingin, also known by the aliases ‘Dadi’ and ‘Herman,’ deputy secretary of the group.
‘We airlifted him and he is now being treated at a government hospital in Masbate,’ Lutera told the Inquirer over the phone.
The military official said Tolingin was allegedly involved in several atrocities and killings in the province.
Lutera said the arrest of the rebel leader could encourage other NPA members to surrender.
‘The government is ready to accept rebels and provide them with livelihood assistance through the E-CLIP program,’ he said.
Major General Aldwine Almase, commander of the 9th Infantry Division, commended the troops for observing human rights and complying with international humanitarian law during the operation.