DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua)- Suspected leftist rebels shot dead an army intelligence agent and a former rebel in separate incidents in the southern Philippines yesterday, police today said.

The attacks against Staff Sgt. Oscar Clapero and Ingracio Moreno Jr. happened in the provinces of Surigao del Sur and Agusan del Sur, said Martin Gamba, police spokesperson of Caraga region where these provinces belong.

Gamba said the first attack happened around 4:30 p.m., local time as Clapero, 55, intelligence agent of the army's 58th Infantry Battalion was walking along a road in Magroyong village, San Miguel town, in Surigao del Sur.

"Four armed men approached the victim and killed him using cal. 45 and .9 mm pistols," Gamba said.

The second assault happened less than an hour later, as undetermined number of assailants fired at Moreno, a former New People's Army rebel, along a road in Bayugan 3 village, Rosario town, Agusan del Sur.

Gamba said the victim was riding on his motorcycle when ambushed by the assailants.
The police spokesperson said an investigation was now being conducted into the killings, with police eyeing the leftist NPA as among the possible suspects.

The 4,000-strong NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been known to target alleged government spies and former comrades whom they suspect of helping the government's counter-insurgency campaign.

Founded in 1969, the NPA is active in 60 Philippine provinces.

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