Army official wounded in Butuan City 'NPA' attack

BUTUAN CITY — An army officer of the 23rd Infantry Battalion was wounded when undetermined number of suspected New People's Army members opened fire on government forces in Barangay Anticala's Sitio Mahayahay in this city Friday, a belated police report said Sunday. The Butuan City Police identified the wounded military officer as 1st Lt. Leonardo Martinez of the 23rd IB “Cadre Battalion" operating in Anticala. The report said armed men believed to be from the NPA's Guerilla Front 21-B fired at government soldiers who were taking some rest at the Mahayahay community stage Friday evening. Barangay Anticala was in the limelight lately due to alleged presence of illegal loggers and miners. The report said, after a few minutes of engaging security forces in a firefight, the attackers fled the area. Police and military authorities are still conducting investigation of the incident. Martinez was hit in the thigh and was immediately brought to a hospital in the city, and is now recuperating, the report said. — Ben Serrano/LBG, GMA News