ILOILO CITY, (PNA)–Recent armed skirmish between government forces and members of the rebel insurgents in the hinterlands of Miag-ao, Iloilo erupted on All Soul’s Day, Nov.2 that slightly wounded an army soldier.
Belated military report on Monday said the brief firefight between army soldiers and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels took place in Sitio Anoy, Brgy. Cabalunan, Miag-ao that wounded Pfc Cris Garbo of the 82nd Infantry Battalion (82IB) based in Camp Monteclro, Miag-ao, Iloilo.
Military authorities said a squad of army soldiers was conducting visibility patrol operation in the hinterlands of the said barangay evening of All Soul’s Day when they encountered a group of armed rebels.
Garbo’s right shoulder was scraped by a bullet during the brief exchange of gunfire that later saw the enemy withdrew towards the forested area.
The government troops immediately conducted hot pursuit operation against the fleeing rebels but had to call off the operation because of the darkness.
The government operating troops recovered in the scene of the encounter an M14 rifle, a fragmentation grenade, two rounds of M203 grenade launcher and three backpacks containing subversive documents.
The All Soul’s Day skirmish was the second encounter between the army soldiers and the enemy in a week’s time.
Last Tuesday, a 30-minute firefight between soldiers and rebels also took place in the boundary of barangays Dalipe and Alimodias where the enemy suffered an undetermined number of wounded cadres as evidenced by bloodstains found in the scene of the counter.