TWO New People’s Army (NPA) leaders were killed and a soldier was injured in a firefight in Pambujan town in Northern Samar on Saturday, the military reported yesterday.
The slain rebel leaders were identified as Jerry Lutao alias Nadi, head of the Front Operation Command and Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda; and Brando Oblado, alias Idol, head of the Squad 2.
The NPA units are all from the Front Committee 1, Sub-Regional Committee Emporium, according to the AFP Visayas Command (Viscom) based in Cebu City.
Troops from 4th Scout Ranger Battalion and 19th Infantry Battalion were conducting operations in Barangay Cagbigajo in Pambujan on Saturday afternoon when they clashed with the communist rebels for about 20 minutes, after which government forces recovered two M16 rifles, an M14 rifle, personal belongings, and documents.
The injured soldier was brought to a hospital and is in “stable condition,” the military said.
Viscom commander Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo said the death of the two NPA leaders “will further contribute to the leadership vacuum that continues to plague the terrorist group, having lost several of its leaders in the previous operations.”
“This will also have a degrading effect on the morale of its few remaining members and will definitely speed up their imminent defeat in the region,” added Arevalo.
The death of the NPA leaders brought to five the number of communist rebels who have died in military operations in the Visayas since Monday last week. These operations also led to the seizure of 10 NPA firearms.
Arevalo urged NPA rebels in the Visayas to surrender.
