BONGABON—Three more bodies of suspected New People’s Army (NPA) members were found after Wednesday’s armed encounter in Nueva Ecija, bringing the total fatalities to 10, the Philippine Army said yesterday.
The Army’s 703rd Infantry Brigade (703IB) said two of the three cadavers were found in the encounter site on Thursday morning.
The military said one of the fatalities, Andrie dela Cruz, was an alleged political instructor of the Platun Silangan Gitnang Luzon of the NPA.
Initially, the military reported seven fatalities. Five of them were identified as Hilario Guiuo, Harold Sarenas Meñosa, Pepito Trinidad Bautista, Reynan Mendoza, and Archie Anceta.
The military said Guiuo was the acting secretary of Komiteng Rehiyong Gitnang Luzon and commander of Regional Operational Command while Meñosa was the commander of Platun Silangan Gitnang Luzon, and Bautista was the leader of Squadron Tersera.
Their bodies were brought to the nearest funeral homes in Pantabangan for burial and turnover to their respective families, the military said. No casualties were reported on the side of the government.