Army sergeant killed in Iligan ambush.

By Bonita L. Ermac

Iligan City - An Army sergeant was killed in an ambush of a group of soldiers on routine patrol by armed men believed to be from the New People's Army (NPA) in Sitio RS, Barangay Rogongon here, Sunday.

Technical Sergeant died on-the-spot after he was shot in the back, while Corporal Raymart Pamplona was wounded after their team was fired at by about 15 heavily armed men at the height of a heavy downpour while they were on patrol.

The soldiers were from the Fourth Mechanized Infantry Battalion (4Mec) which maintains a base in Sitio Dungguan.

According to Iligian City Police Director Sr. Supt. Leony Roy Ga, Andal's body was retrieved through the help of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT), while Pamplona was immediately brought to the hospital for treatment.

Initial investigation revealed that the group who attacked the troops belong to the 68th Guerilla Front of the New People's Army operating in the boundaries of Misamis Oriental, Iligan City and Lanao del Norte, said Lt. Col. Alex Aduca, Commanding Officer of 4Mech.

Barangay Rogongon Chairman Radi Pugoy said the presence of the armed men had already been been reported to proper authorities, but this was not given due attention because of the then-raging Marawi crisis.