By Edwin Iyo
Correspondent
The encounter between the 58th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and the New People’s Army in Barangay San Luis, this city on Thursday morning is not connected with the killing of Barangay Kagawad Alexander Mandamiento who was shot to death three days ago, Lt. Col. Roy Anthony Derilo, 58th infantry battalion commander, said.
“Walang kinalaman sa nasabing pag patay ng isang barangay kagawad,” Derilo said via text message yesterday.
According to Mandamiento’s neighbors, he had a brother who has joined the NPA and had supposedly avenged Mandamiento’s death.
This issue was also denied by Lt. Jefferson Mariano, a 58th IB spokesman.
However, Mariano said they will look into the veracity of the matter.
“Ang encounter sa barangay San Luis ay dahil sa operation namin. Naabutan ng Army ang mga kalaban na nagpapahinga sa may isang farm,” Derilo explained.
The 58th IB clashed with at least 15 fully armed NPA guerrillas Thursday morning in Sitio Minlagas, San Luis.
The encounter lasted about 15 minutes and left no casualty or injured on both sides.
For his part City Councilor Conrado Gomez, chairman of the peace and order committee of the city council said the killing of Mandamiento cannot affect the peace and order situation of the city.
