7 soldiers hurt in clash with NPA in Isabela
TUGUEGARAO, Cagayan, Philippines — Seven soldiers were reported wounded in an encounter with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Echague, Isabela yesterday.
The soldiers, who are members of the 86th Infantry Battalion under the Joint Task Force Tala, were airlifted to the Isabela Doctors Hospital and Ester Garcia General Hospital for treatment.
Reports reaching Maj. Gen. Perfecto Rimando, 5th Infantry Division commander, showed the clash occurred in Barangay Mabbayad at around 5 a.m.
The firefight, which lasted for around 20 minutes, left an undetermined number of casualties among the rebels, according to Lt. Col. Isagani Nato, Northern Luzon Command chief.
An encounter between NPA rebels and the same Army unit occurred also in Echague town last week.
Nato said they would continue with ”focused military operations” against the rebels in coordination with other law enforcement units.
Meanwhile, in Bukidon, at least 55 rebel returnees and leaders of a lumad community received cash assistance amounting to P220,000 after an evaluation conducted by the military last week. They were also promised a hectare of land where they could establish their community and farms. – Ding Cervantes, Michael Punongbayan
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