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The firefight at 10:15 a.m. resulted in the death of a suspected NPA rebel, said Lt. Col. Milfredo Meligrito, commander of the 57th Infantry Battalion based in Makilala town. He identified the casualty as Jerry Camin, a.k.a. Ka Adonis.
He said his troops recovered an Armalite rifle, a hand grenade, and some subversive documents from the training camp in Sitio Sibug, Barangay Bacung in Tulunan.
Meligrito said they staged intensive military operations in the area after receiving reports that the NPA under Front 72 had been training their recruits there since last week.
When the Army troopers the site, he said, they were fired upon by at least 30 NPA rebels. But his men were prepared for a worst case scenario and was thus were able to drive the rebels away.
"When our men reached the site, they found out that indeed, the NPA has been conducting training of their recruits there," said Meligrito in an interview over radio station dxND.
He said they have already tightened security in the area because of "persistent reports" that the NPA are again collecting revolutionary taxes in the area, which he said is "an act detrimental to the community." (Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews)