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MANILA – A suspected leader of the New Communist People’s Army was killed in a clash with army soldiers on Friday night in Zamboanga del Norte, the Western Mindanao Military Command said.
The military identified the slain rebel as Leonardo Nabong, alias Otik / Berto / Bonie, former secretary and current first deputy secretary of the rebel group’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee.
According to the Commander of the 102nd Infantry Brigade Brig. General Leonel Nicolas, Nabong was a member of the Executive Committee of Komisyon Mindanao (KOMMID).
He also has current arrest warrants for multiple murder with quadruple attempted murder and damage to government property, and rebellion issued by the Regional Court of First Instance, Branch 36 of the Tenth Judicial Region in Calamba, Misamis Occidental with a reward of P6. 15 million.
Nabong’s identity, the military said, was confirmed by former rebels who surrendered to authorities.
Wesmincom commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr. said troops from the 44th Infantry Battalion were conducting combat operations when they encountered around 10 armed fighters from the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee’s Flex A Guerrilla Front in Purok 2, Barangay ZNAC, Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte at 6:15 pm
There was a 45-minute exchange of fire before the rebels withdrew.
The soldiers also recovered firearms, ammunition and other items. .
WESMINCOM, Western Mindanao Command, New People’s Army, NPA, encounter, clash of Zamboanga del Norte
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