The combined elements of the New People’s Army from GF 30 and GF 21B of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines suffered several casualties after having failed in their attempt to outmaneuver government troops.
When the NPAs disarmed SUDECOR security guards at KM 31, Baknalon, Pakwan, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur at around 8:30 in the morning of November 11, 2009, the NPAs burned logging equipment including 2 yarders, 6 rakers, 4 bulldozers and chainsaws. They also held the guards hostage as they retreated into the interior part of the municipality of Lanuza.
At 9:30 in the morning, troops from the 58th Infantry Battalion based in Tago, Surigao del Sur immediately sent reinforcement to run after the rebels. As they approached KM 18, they were landmined, hitting the lead vehicle that resulted to the immediate death of two government troops. Fierce gunbattle immediately followed and lasted until 5 in the afternoon.
As per accounts from the wounded soldiers who are now treated at the Camp Evangelista Station Hospital, the NPAs launched 8 attempts to overrun government troops but to no avail. The soldiers held their ground, thus effectively preventing the NPAs to lay siege of the troop’s position.
Government troops reported that at least 10 NPAs were confirmed dead. The confirmation came from the soldiers themselves as they narrate their stories.
Pvt Natividad, one of the wounded soldiers, claimed that he has personally killed two NPAs with his M14 rifle, but was later hit in his left foot because his M14 rifle malfunctioned. Pfc Holganza has also ascertained that he has killed at least three NPAs in the course of their 8 attempts at overrunning the government troop’s position. Pfc Rico Macabangon has also ascertained that he has killed 4 NPAs with his K3 machinegun.
The wounded soldiers also narrated that they have seen the NPAs dragged their wounded and killed comrades as they left the battle site. One dead body of an NPA was later found last November 12 when reinforcing troops scoured the encounter area.
The testimonies of the soldiers plus the one dead NPA found by the troops on November 12 bring to 10 the total number of confirmed NPAs killed in the encounter.
Testimonies of the engaged troops led authorities to believe that the NPAs suffered more than 10 dead and scores wounded based on the result of the 8 failed attempts of the NPAs to rush-up government troop’s position. The 8 attempts were all repulsed by the soldiers that resulted to several NPAs seen hit as they launched their wave by wave assaults.
The 7-hour gunbattle ended up with 8 government troops dead and 10 others wounded. One policeman and three private security guards of SUDECOR were also reported killed during the encounter.
“The worst blunder committed by the CPP-NPA in this act is the fact that they inflicted pain on private employees of SUDECOR and its guards if only to attract government troops and lure them to a situation placing the soldiers in a disadvantaged situation. Their deceptive tactic brought more negative repercussions into the movement as they suffered scores of dead and wounded, thus reinforcing the rising demoralization within their ranks.” said LtCol Lamzon, the 58IB Commander.
“We’re proud of the gallantry displayed by our soldiers. When reinforcement linked-up with them, they were almost out of bullets but their courage, training and fire discipline helped them sustain the fight for more than 7 hours” Lamzon added.
