By FROILAN GALLARDO
Special Correspondent
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent .
A SUSPECTED communist rebel was killed and two policemen were wounded in Bukidnon as the Communist Party of the Philippines celebrated its 50th anniversary on Wednesday.
Police said at least six suspected rebels were caught by authorities.
In a separate incident, 11 Army soldiers were wounded when they ran into a series of landmines planted by communist rebels when they tried to disrupt a gathering of party members in Monkayo, Compostela Valley, also on Wednesday.
Camp Alagar spokesperson Supt. Surki Sereñas said police officers were conducting a checkpoint in Sitio Colon, Barangay Halapitan, San Fernando town in Bukidnon when gunmen riding on six motorcycles fired at them.
“We had received information that NPA rebels will attempt to spray paint government infrastructures with their communist slogans,” Serenes said.
Sereñas said there was also intelligence information about the sighting of an armed group in Sitio Supon, Barangay Nacabukad in San Fernando, Bukidnon.
In the exchange of firepower, Serenas said one NPA rebel was killed while two policemen — PO2 Hervey Lagura Mutia and PO1 Cleoford Galla Cañete of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion in Bukidnon — were wounded.
Mutia and Cañete were rushed to a hospital in Valencia City in Bukidnon.
Sereñas identified the suspects who were caught as Gerlu Madroñal Madaya, Eman Agna Tormis, Casimer Sacalye Absin, Alex Villariza Navarro, Jomar Hedokyo Cayapasan, and Nilo Bahayan Salinay. The suspects were detained at the San Fernando municipal police station.
“They will face criminal charges, including but not limited to malicious mischief, illegal possession of firearms, and illegal possession of explosives,” said Sereñas.
Sereñas said the rest of the NPA rebels managed to escape, leaving behind four motorcycles.
He said police found cans of spray paint; five grenades; a 9mm Ingram machine pistol; a caliber .45 pistol; and an improvised explosive device with blasting cap; mobile phones and six back packs.
In Compostela Valley, soldiers acting on a report that communist rebels were holding a gathering to celebrate the 50th anniversary, went to the hinterlands of Monkayo town on Wednesday.
Capt. Jerry Lamosao, chief of the Army 10th Division public affairs office, said reaching sitio Tinago, Barangay Diwata in Monkayo town, the soldiers ran into a field of IEDs planted by the rebels.
Lamosao said the soldiers were evacuated to a military hospital in Davao City.
The two incidents came as the Armed Forces heightened its operations to derail the communist party from celebrating its 50th anniversary.
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