Official: 6 soldiers hurt in Misamis Occ clash

Six Army soldiers were wounded following a clash with suspected communist insurgents in Misamis Occidental on Wednesday afternoon, a local military commander said. In a text message sent Friday, Maj. Gen. Romeo Lustestica, commander of the Army's 1st Infantry Division, said the clash occurred at 1 p.m. in Brgy. Bagampasan in Don Victoriano Chiongbian town when patrolling government forces chanced upon an undetermined number of New People's Army (NPA) rebels in the area. He said six soldiers sustained injuries mostly on the feet when a M203 grenade exploded during the one-hour firefight. He said the soldiers were out to investigate massive extortion reports in the area when the ecounter ensued. Lustestica identified the injured soldiers as: Staff Sgt. Ricardo Delena, Pfc. Josie Galong, Pfc. Michael Masal, Pfc. Tatoy, Pfc. Mark Lloyd Sayson and Pfc. Junrie Tabas. All have been brought to the 1st ID Hospital in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, he said. Recovered during the clearing operations were containers of rice, leaving military officials to believe that the suspected NPA rebels were camping out in the elevated portion of the area. The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). Talks with the National Democratic Front (NDF) have been stalled since August 2004. — with Kimberly Tan/RSJ, GMANews.TV