The body of a woman later identified as an NPA fighter was discovered inside a barn in Barangay Macalibre, Sergio Osme帽a town, Zamboanga del Norte. (PHOTO FROM 97IB Philippine Army)
DAPITAN CITY 鈥� Former New People鈥檚 Army (NPA) rebels had identified the dead woman discovered in a hinterland village of Zamboanga del Norte on Saturday, the military said.
Lt. Col. Nolasco B. Coderos Jr., commander of the Army鈥檚 97th Infantry Battalion (97IB), said former colleagues identified the fatality as Daisy Jane Cimafranca who goes by the aliases Miggy and Racquel.
She was found聽 dead inside a barn in the remote Macalibre village of Sergio Osme帽a town, at the foot of the Malindang mountain range that hosts the remaining communist rebels operating in the Zamboanga Peninsula.
Cimafranca鈥檚 body bore several gunshot wounds, according to Lt. Adrian Resueno of the 97IB.
Coderos said it appeared that she was 鈥渓eft behind in the barn because she will slow down the retreat of the NPA fighters.鈥�
Army troopers聽 brought Cimafranca鈥檚 body to Sergio Osme帽a town for autopsy Saturday afternoon.
On Dec. 1 and Dec. 3, soldiers clashed with NPA rebels in the villages of Linabo and Milad of Polanco town, more than 20 kilometers away from Macalibre.
Coderos said Cimafranca鈥檚 body will be turned over to the nearest of kin.