MILITARY BLOTTER

June 7: Government troops killed a lawless group commander and captured one of his followers in a gun battle in Labason, Zamboanga del Norte. Captain Jose Ritche Pabilonia, Southern Command information chief, said soldiers from the Army’s 44th Infantry Battalion killed Commander Sulade Utol, leader of the lawless element group operating in Labason town. The soldiers were conducting combat patrol when they encountered about seven fully armed men at Tunghaan, Brgy Usukan, triggering a 15-minute firefight. No casualty was reported on the government side, according to Pabilonia. The captured follower of Commander Sulade was identified as Jhon-Jhon Canam. One caliber .45 pistol (colt) with one magazine loaded with 6 rounds live ammo and one caliber .38 revolver with 5 bullets were recovered from the suspects. Commander Sulade’s body and his captured follower were turned-over to Labason Police Station for proper disposition. Operating troops were deployed to Usukan patrol base to conduct follow-up operation in the area.

June 7: Military and police authorities arrested a suspected political officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) and three others in Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay Province. Arrested were Julian Balindres alias Roming, his wife Esmeralda, Ponciano Burlad, and Beverly Illesig, all belong to the NPA’s front committee (Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee) with code ‘’KARA’’. Captain Pabilonia said joint intelligence units of the Army’s 102nd Brigade and the Imelda police arrested the suspected communist rebels at Brgy Balongisan. He said Balindres has standing warrant of arrest for destructive arson with criminal case no. 2881-T without bail bond issued by Judge Anecito Galon Jr. PF 8th MCTC. The suspects are detained at Imelda Police Station.

June 7: Four soldiers were wounded in a clashed with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Monkayo Compostela Valley Province. Captain Pabilonia said troops from the 28th Infantry Battalion while on combat operation at Kalinugan, Barangay Casoon encountered about thirty fully armed communist guerrillas. He said firefight lasted for almost an hour. According to Pabilonia, the wounded soldiers were rushed to Camp Panacan Station Hosp, Panacan, Davao City for treatment. “We believe the enemies have suffered casualties as evidence by bloodstain found in the encounter site and reports from civilian who saw the communist terrorists dragging away around five of their comrades.” Troops conduct pursuit operations against the fleeing NPA rebels.

June 8: Suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels set on fire heavy equipment of a private construction firm in Malaybalay City. Captain Pabilonia said the communists under the Front Committe-89 burned seven heavy equipment at Purok 4, Barangay, Zamboanguita. Conception Basic Builders Incorporated (CBBI) with Arthur Ong as the owner owns the equipment. The suspects left the area after destroying one grader, 1 buldozer, 1 payloader, 1 road roller, 3 dump trucks and 1 motorcycle. Troops from the Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion are pursuing the communist rebels, who reportedly fled to Baaranga, St. Peter area.

June 9: Two members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed while two government soldiers wounded in a clash in San Fernando, Bukidnon. Reports reaching the AFP Southcom headquarters said combined elements of 5th SRC and 6th SRC encountered about 60 fully armed communist terrorists believed to be under Commander Paragu at Nabuntaran, Barangay Maputi. Captain Pabilonia said the firefight lasted for about one hour after which the communist rebels scampered to different directions. Soldiers recovered two M14 rifles of the NPA rebels.

(Summary from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Command Headquarters, Command Information Office Incident Report as of June 10, 2006)