NPA leader, follower slain in Agusan Sur Encounter

DAVAO CITY— A suspected ranking official of the New People’s Army (NPA) and his follower were killed in an encounter in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, on Thursday.

Larry Garcia, reportedly the chief of the Sentro de Gravidad Group of the NPA’s Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee, and his aide, Garing Opriyano, died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the military.

The encounter occurred a day after the alleged highest-ranking female official of the NPA was killed in another firefight in Agusan del Norte.

Myrna Solarte, alias Maria Malaya, said to be the secretary of the defunct Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee, was killed in an encounter in Butuan City on Wednesday afternoon. The military stated that Solarte was a member of the political bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Col. Emil Cruz, acting chief of the Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade, said the firefight in Barangay San Lorenzo, Prosperidad town, lasted 10 minutes. Reports indicated that a team from the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion was responding to intelligence on the presence of armed men in Sitio Katipunan when Garcia’s group opened fire on the soldiers, triggering the firefight.

Authorities said Garcia was facing multiple charges, including murder, extortion, and drug trafficking in various courts in Northern Mindanao and Caraga.

Soldiers later turned over the remains of the fatalities to local officials for proper disposition.