ZAMBOANGA CITY: The military captured a wounded communist rebel following a firefight in Zamboanga del Norte’s Siayan town, officials said Thursday.The still unidentified rebel, suspected to be a member of the New People’s Army (NPA), was rushed by soldiers to a hospital. PFC. Eunice Jane Curayag, assigned with the 1st Civil Military Operations Battalion, donated blood for the injured rebel. Lt. Col. Manaros Boransing, commander of the 97th Infantry Battalion, said the wounded insurgent was one of the machine gunners of the NPA’s Team Abe belonging to the Squad 2 of the Main Regional Guerrilla Unit of Western Regional Party Committee. Boransing’s forces were also reinforced by the 53rd Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, who said villagers provided them information that led to the capture of the wounded rebel left behind by his group. Maj. Gen. Generoso Ponio, commander of the 1st Infantry Division, commanded the soldiers for “giving premium in protecting lives, even the life of their own enemy.”The rebel, whom officials called Lando, is currently under the medical care of the Army at Kuta Cesar Sang-an Station Hospital in Labangan town in Zamboanga del Sur province, just 15 kilometers from Pagadian City.
