Army beefs up forces in Bukidnon after clashes

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Philippine Army on Wednesday beefed up its forces in the southern province of Bukidnon to go against communist rebels a day after a series of heavy fighting there that left 11 people dead. “Sporadic fighting still continues in the area and as a matter of fact we have deployed more soldiers to crush the rebels," said Major Michele Anayron, a spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division. Tuesday's encounters left nine New People's Army (NPA) rebels dead, with one of them suspected to be a senior leader, Anayron said. “The rebels were trying to get the bodies of those killed in the fighting. We suspect that among the dead could a senior rebel leader," he said. Two soldiers, however, perished in the gun battle that occurred in the outskirts of Valencia City. The fighting broke out after government troops tracked down some 60 rebels under Abelardo Navarro in the village of Banlag. The NPA is the armed wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), which broke off from the peace talks in 2004 after accusing President Gloria Arroyo of reneging on several agreements, among them the release of all political detainees being held across the country. - Al Jacinto/KBK, GMANews.TV