CAMP MELCHOR F. DELA CRUZ, Upi, Gamu, Isabela – Two soldiers were killed in an encounter with the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Lenneng, Kabugao, Apayao Thursday, Aug. 18.
The fatalities were identified as 2nd Lt. Nasser Dimalanes, 28, and Private First Class Jaime Fontanilla Jr., 29.
A platoon of soldiers from the 98th Infantry Battalion (IB) led by Dimalanes was patrolling the area when they chanced upon 30 members of the NPA under the Kilusang Larangan Gerilya North Abra at 12:50 p.m.
A gunbattle ensued in which Dimalanes and Fontanilla were killed.
The Army mourned the death of the two State troopers.
“We mourn the death of our fallen comrades who have sacrificed their lives in order to save the people of Kabugao,” said Lt. Col. Abraham Gallangi Jr., 98th IB commander.
“We will not put into waste the sacrifice rendered by our comrades. We will pursue those members of the CTG to let them pay the consequences of their inhumane actions,” Gallangi added.
Dimalanes is a Muslim and a native of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao. He was commissioned on Nov. 16, 2017 and was assigned to the 98th IB as platoon leader of Bravo Company.
The slain officer was a product of the Reserved Officer Training Corps and entered the service under the Officer Preparatory Course.
Fontanilla, a resident of Luna, La Union, entered the service on July 21, 2018 and was first assigned to the Headquarters Service Battalion of the 5th Infantry Division.
He was deployed to the 54th IB and later on assigned to the 98th IB.