Unconfirmed reports placed the number of slain rebels at six but only two bodies were retrieved: Jek-Jek Cabelo of Barangay Bituan, and Tawad Laman of Barangay Bacung, both in Tulunan, North Cotabato.
Major Randolph Cabangbang, spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom), based in Davao City told MindaNews reports reaching them from the field said only one was killed: Alberto Pabello, not Cabelo, alias Jekjek.
But German Braga, a motorcycle driver plying the Bacung-Lampagag road in Tulunan, told media here the bodies of Cabelo and Laman were brought to a funeral home in Poblacion, Tulunan.
"The relatives have yet to recover the four bodies, which were left in the area," he said.
Tulunan municipal social worker Jennalyn Victoria Delasan said no one is allowed yet to proceed to Bacung village because of the intense fighting in the area.
"The military told us to stay put. They have not given us signal to proceed to the area," she said.
Braga said that as early as 5 a.m., Friday, they saw two MG-520 attack helicopters flying over the areas believed to be the base of NPA Front 72 Far South Regional Command.
Maj. Randy Cabangbang, spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) based in Davao City, said the rebels encountered by the 57th IB at around 6:05 a.m. on February 6 were led by Felix Amodia alias Jing, leader of the guerrilla front and Alberto Pabello alias Jekjek, platoon leader and leader of Yunit Militia operating in Tulunan, North Cotabato.
Cabangbang said the encounter was at the boundary of Sitio Laing, Barangay New Caridad and Sitio Samwi Lambusong in Barangay Bacung in Tulunan town.
"The firefight resulted to the death of Jekjek. Then at around 1330 (1:30 p.m.) same day, operating element of 57th IB turned over the remains of Jekjek to Barangay Kagawad Osmena Gacac of Barangay Bacung," he said.
Cabangbang added that the slain rebel had a standing warrant of arrest for multiple murder with Criminal Case 6031-03 issued by Regional Trial Court in Kidapawan" and was also charged with robbery with violence against or intimidation to person.
As of Friday, evacuees, most of them children, have reached 2,000, according to reports of the Tulunan Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).
The MSWDO report said the military operations, which started Monday, affected three villages in Tulunan and a village in Magsaysay town in Davao del Sur.
The evacuees are temporarily housed at the multi-purpose building and day care center in Barangay Bacung, Delasan said. (Malu Cadelina-Manar/MindaNews)