BALBALAN, Kalinga May 17 – A government trooper was wounded while still undetermined of casualties in the enemy side were still subject for validation after a running gun battle between still undetermined number of heavily armed men believed to be members of the New Peoples Army (NPA) and soldiers at sitio Salta, Balbalasang, here, Monday.
Senior Superintendent Brent Majaco, provincial director of the Kalinga Provincial Police Office, identified the wounded soldier as PFC Castro Fagronob Nestor, a member of the Alpha company of the 503r Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army operating in the said area.
The government troopers were conducting a host pursuit operation against the fleeing communist rebels who had a previous encounter with soldiers in sitio Ibong when they chanced upon the said group of armed men that resulted to a fierce firefight.
The wounded soldier was brought to the Western Kalinga Provincial Hospital for medical treatment while the remaining soldiers are still pursuing the fleeing rebels into the forested area of the locality.
By Dexter A. See