A NEW People’s Army (NPA) female rebel was killed in a clash with government troops in Surigao del Norte on Wednesday afternoon, (Jan. 13), a local Army spokesperson said Friday.

Another wounded female rebel was also captured and several weapons and an improvised bomb seized following the firefight in the hinterlands of Brgy. Camam-onan, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte.

Army's 30th Infantry Battalion civil-military officer 2nd Lieutenant Benjamen Elisand De Dios identified the slain female combatant as Danilyn S Fabre @ Karen, 25, a resident of Mainit, while the other wounded was identified as Jocelyn Hiningcagan @Kyla, 22, of Gigaquit both of them were came from the province of Surigao del Norte. 

De Dios said the two were both members of SYP16C2 of Guerilla Front16 and Banakon Squad of SDG16, NorthEastern Mindanao Regional Committee. 

De Dios said the encounter took place after the residents informed them about the presence of armed men in their community.

"Reportedly the NPA rebels are extorting money from the Royalty Shares of the Indigenous Peoples (IP) Communities in the area," said De Dios.

She said the armed rebels scampered in different directions leaving behind the dead body of Fabre and wounded Hiningcagan after the 45-minute firefight, according to De Dios.

The soldiers overran the enemy camp and   seized two AK47, an M16 rifle, assorted war materials and subversive documents.

“We positively responded to the call for help by the IP Communities who were getting fed-up of the CNTs extortion and whose desires are to live peacefully in their communities free from the harassment, fear and intimidation," said 30IB commander Lt. Col. Ryan Charles G Callanta.

Callanta said the soldiers turned over the dead rebel to the family for a decent burial while the wounded rebel immediately brought in Butuan City and provided with necessary medical assistance and eventually brought to Camp Evangelista Station Hospital for further medical treatment.

For the remaining NPA members, Callanta said that, it is high time for them to choose to be with their families rather than to end up like what happened to their comrades. 

"The government assures full support to those who want to avail the reintegration program," said Callanta. (Ben Balce)