The New People’s Army (NPA) in Quezon denied engaging troops from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in an encounter in Catanauan, Quezon last February 5. NPA Spokesperson Ka Cleo del Mundo said that the only armed action between the Red fighters and fascist soldiers occurred on February 5 at 3:51 a.m. in Barangay Masaya, Buenavista.

The AFP claims an army lieutenant and two more soldiers of the 201st IBde were killed in firefights against the NPA in a series of clashes last February 5. Reports from the military indicate that Sabio, an officer of the 85th IB, was killed at 6 p.m. while two other soldiers were killed earlier at noon.

Ka Cleo said there were no armed encounters in the area at the said time and location.

She said the three soldiers were likely killed in misencounters between operating troops deployed in the neighboring villages considering that there were several army and scout ranger units carrying out operations in the same area.