CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, PILI, CAMARINES SUR – A ranking communist guerrilla was killed in a gunfight with joint army troopers of the 2nd Infantry Army Battalion and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Mobile group in Sitio Managanaga in the remote village of Oma-oma in Ligao City, Albay province.
This was reported by the 9th Infantry Division, Public Affairs Office Friday, Sep. 28.
Army 901st Brigade commander in Albay Col. Ricardo Visaya identified the slain rebel leader as Antonio Perelonia alias “Ka Eddie”, a member of the executive committee of one of the New People's Army (NPA) guerrilla fronts in Albay.
According to Col. Visaya, the joint government troopers recovered from the encounter site a Cal. 45 pistol, a hand grenade and personal belongings of the rebels. Perelonia’s group of five rebels fled from the encounter site shortly after a 5-minute gunfight.
According to Scene of the Crime Operatives from the Municipal Police Station of Ligao City, rural residents in the locality had reported the presence in the village of guerrillas who were soliciting material support from the people.
The army said that Perelonia is the second ranking rebel leader who fell this month, after a certain Edgardo Sevilla, alias, “Palong” was captured during an encounter with troopers of the army’s 42nd Infantry Battalion in barangay San Vicente, Iriga City in Setpt. 6.
Sevilla was reportedly the finance officer of the executive committee of a guerrilla front in Albay.
A spokesman of the CPP – NPA - NDF in Bicol claims that Perelonia was being treated of an illness when army and police troopers encountered his group in an interior village in Ligao City. (SONNY SALES).