[Manila Times] Eighty families were evacuated when about 50 members of the New People's Army attacked a para-military detachment of CAFGU (Citizen’s Armed Forces Geographical Unit) in Tampakan, South Cotabato on Friday morning. The fierce firefight lasted for almost seven hours and families in the area were forced to abandon their houses.A military source estimated that about six to ten militants were killed when two 105mm howitzers bombarded the area. The militants managed to retrieve their injured comrades and fled during the heavy fighting.
Colonel Benjamin Leander, head of the Philippine Army's 27th Infantry Battalion, believed the attackers are from the NPA's 73 District Guerilla Unit of the Far South Mindanao Command front.
Police provincial director Frank Alvero said they have received intelligence reports about the NPA's threat to carry out attacks in various parts of South Cotabato “and on Friday they attacked at 6 in the morning as we made our effort to reinforce and help the 27th IB,PA joining the counter operation against the NPA."
Meanwhile, a voice message from certain "Ka Efren" of the NPA Far South Mindanao command dispatched through a local radio claimed they were responsible in the ambush of private Albino Bahian who was killed during a clash with the NPA Guerilla Front 73 in Barangay Hinalaan, Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat last week.