NPAs ATTACK NORTH COTABATO AFP POST

By Dennis Arcon, InterAksyon.com

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Soldiers and militiamen repulsed a New People’s Army attack on an Army detachment in Tulunan town, North Cotabato Wednesday night, the third rebel operation against security forces in Mindanao this week.

None of the personnel of the 38th Infantry Battalion’s Barangay Paraiso detachment were hurt in the almost 20-minute gun battle triggered by the rebel attack, 602nd Infantry Brigade spokesman Captain Tony Bulao said.

The military and police reinforced their forces in the town following the incident.

On Monday, the NPA raided the police station in Matanao town, Davao del Sur, killing two policemen and wounding three others, while losing two of their fighters. The rebels claimed to have seized a number of weapons in the raid.

Shortly after, a truck of the 39th Infantry Battalion on its way to join pursuit operations against the raiders was blasted by a command-detonated landmine, killing seven soldiers and wounding eight others.

Another soldier died in a separate clash with the NPA in Compostela Valley province.

On Thursday, the 10th Infantry Division accorded military honors to the troops slain in the Matanao ambush.

(Photo caption: A mass is said for troops of the 39th Infantry Battalion who were killed in a landmine explosion in Matanao, Davao del Sur. Dennis Arcon, InterAksyon.com)