[Inquirer] One Philippine soldier was killed while another was captured as "prisoner of war" by the New People's Army in a firefight in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental on Saturday.Military spokesman Joe Patrick Martinez said troops engaged about 30 NPA militants in Barangay Alagatan late in the afternoon. He explained soldiers were in the community in response to a request by the village council for security assistance. Martinez said when the troops arrived in the area, they were "surprised about the presence of the NPA rebels inside the community."
A fierce gun battle broke out that lasted for about 20 minutes, killing a soldier. Two soldiers were also injured and one, who was hit in the leg, was seized by the fleeing insurgents. Two civilians were also injured after being caught in the crossfire.
A statement by North Central Mindanao Regional Command spokesman Ka Allan Juanito said that the attack was a punitive action against the alleged "psywar and intelligence operations" by the military in the community. He said, "The reactionary soldiers were playing basketball in the village center when they were raided by the NPA."
The NPA identified the captured soldier as 26-year-old Adonis Jess Maghanoy Lupeba, a resident of Cagayan de Oro City.