NEW People’s Army rebels yesterday claimed to have scored big against government forces by taking captive two soldiers and at least a dozen militiamen in the town of Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.
In a text message to the Gold Star Daily, the NPA claimed the soldiers and members of the Citizens’ Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu) were seized during a raid carried out in Sibagat at around 5:30 am yesterday.
The NPA said guerrillas seized some 20 high-powered firearms during the raid that caught the soldiers and militiamen by surprise.
It was a bloodless raid staged without a single bullet being fired, the NPA said.
“Dako nga kadaugan ang nahimo sa rebolusyonaryong kalihukan,” reads part of the statement.
Camp Evangelista and the Army’s 401st Brigade have yet to issue an official statement at presstime. This paper’s calls to military officials were unanswered.
Bombo Radyo reported that the raid was staged at a Cafgu detachment in New Tubigon in Sibagat town by members of the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 21.
It also quoted one Ka Sandara, spokesperson of the NPA in northeastern Mindanao, as declaring the two soldiers and 12 Cafgu members as “prisoners of war.”
Bombo Radyo identified the soldiers taken captive as Danilo Carino and Eric Calapan.
Rebels, according to its report, seized over 20 firearms that included a M16 armalite rifles, R4 rifles, M14 armalite rifles, an M203 grenade rifle and a machine gun.
Bombo Radyo also quoted Maj. Gen. Roland Villanueva, commanding general of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, as confirming that there was no bloodshed and no bullet was fired during the NPA raid.
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