By Villamor Visaya Jr., Philippine News Agency Stringer and Philippine Daily Inquirer Correspondent
CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, Isabela — A communist rebel was killed in the latest gun battle between Army soldiers and New People’s Army rebels at Barangay Namal in Asipulo town, Ifugao province, on Sunday (May 29) afternoon, the military said Monday.
Lt. Col. Franz Josef Diamante, 54th Infantry Battalion commander, said the Army soldiers chanced upon 15 communist rebels belonging to the Abra-Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur guerrilla front who fired at them in Sitio Binangyuyaw.
The soldiers retaliated and killed one of the rebels.
The body of the killed rebel was left behind by his comrades, and an M-16 Armalite rifle was retrieved from the site of the firefight.
On May 26, Army soldiers rescued a wounded vice commander in another gun battle in Sitio Belbel, Barangay Namal, also Asipulo.#
