Alleged NPA rebels shoot dead NCotabato man

Suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels allegedly gunned down a resident of North Cotabato Friday evening, a Philippine Army spokesman said Lt. Manuel Gatus of the 57th Infantry Batallion said the victim, Ramilito Gonzaga, 38, sustained nine gunshot wounds from the incident, which happened in Makilala, North Cotabato at around 8:30 p.m. Gatus also said the gunmen also shot at the victim's pregnant relative, identified as An-an Gonzaga. Calling the incident “barbaric and inhumane", Gatus said the rebel group moves around the tri-boundaries of Makilala and Tulunan in North Cotabato and Magsaysay in Davao del Sur. The army deployed more troops to prevent more rebel attacks in the village, he added. Over in Agusan del Norte, an NPA guerilla was killed in an encounter with government troops in Cabadbaran City Friday afternoon. According to PA commanding general Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, the Scout Ranger Class 179-11 was on a security operation in the city’s Brgy. Puting Bato when they met about nine rebels at around 3:30 p.m. Ortiz added the insurgents escaped southwest, leaving behind their dead comrade, an AK47 rifle, and four M16 rifles. No one was killed or injured from the military group composed of one officer and six enlisted personnel, Ortiz said, adding that pursuit operations against the NPA rebels are still ongoing. — ELR, GMA News