COMBAT FATALITIES. Members of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Magpet readies the dead bodies of the fatalities of an encounter between Bagani militia group and alleged fighters of the New People’s Army in Sitio Boayboay, Magpet town. Photo by Esther Roque
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By Esther Roque,
Contributor

Magpet, Cotabato — Two unidentified armed men suspected to be members of the New People’s Army died in an encounter with paramilitary group “Bagani” and soldiers of 39th Infantry Batallion in Sitio Boayboay, Barangay Basak, Magpet, Cotabato, Thursday.

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Basak Barangay Chairman Jose Delgado told the Gold Star Daily that at about past five o’clock in the afternoon, Thursday, residents of Sitio Boayboay overheard multiple gunshots in the area.

“According to the residents there, the exchanges of gunfire lasted for more than an hour,” said Delgado.

Delgado added that after receiving reports of the encounter he immediately gave instructions to baran-gay officials living in Boay boay to alert the people to get ready to evacuate the area should the situation get worse.

The bodies were recovered yesterday by the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office spearheaded by Engr. Donald Homez, accompanied by barangay officials, following an order from the local chief executive in coordination with the local police and army.

Except for vivid tattoos, the bodies of the fatalities could not be identified. Even the local residents could not identify the two dead men.

The 39th Infantry Batallion has built a detachment in a nearby Barangay Temporan –– around 10 kilometers from the area where the encounter took place and accordingly is part of their regular foot patrol areas.

At present, the police have brought the bodies to a funeral home for proper disposition while waiting for their family or any organization which may claim the bodies.

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