Maj. Eugenio Julio Osias IV, spokesman for the Army’s 4th Infantry “Diamond” Division, said Ricardo Manili alias Joker, was among the five rebels who were confirmed killed in the firefight between troops from the 5th Scout Ranger Company and a group of rebels in Barangay Calabuan, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, on October 6.

“Manili was confirmed dead along with four other rebels today. These rebels were the ones encountered by the 5th Scout Ranger Company, wherein 12 high-powered firearms were recovered by the troops,” said Osias on Sunday.

Manili was the secretary of the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 4A that operates in the Surigao provinces, and he had previously headed the regional operations command of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee of the NPA.

“Manili was responsible for many atrocities here in Mindanao, such as the attack of the Medina town hall, liquidation of barangay officials, burning of Minergy Co.’s mining equipment in Claveria and other extortion activities,” Osias said.

During the firefight, where one soldier was killed and three others wounded, the Rangers overran the camp of the NPA’s North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.

The soldiers seized four AK-47 assault rifles, four M-14 rifles, three M-16 rifles, a Singapore-made Ultimax light machine gun and several landmines.

The military’s announcement of Manili’s death came as the NPA and all revolutionary forces and groups paid their last tribute to former Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) spokesman Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal, whose death was announced last week by the CPP’s information bureau.

While Rosal succumbed to a heart attack in June. The CPP said it only announced his death last week after it has notified his relatives, particularly his two daughters.

All rebel fighters made a formation at 12 noon on Saturday as a salute to Rosal, while other forces and groups issued and recited odes and poems praising his attributes as a rebel leader.