ILOILO CITY -- Troops of the Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion launched a successful operation against some 20 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) Sunday as the latter gears for 50th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on December 26.
The operation was launched at the rebel’s temporary harboring site at Zone 6, Barangay Canauilihan, Janiuay, Iloilo, Lt. Col. Sisenando Magbalot Jr., commanding officer of the 61IB, said in an interview Monday.
The encounter started around 6:30 a.m. It was an "intermittent" firefight that lasted past 10 a.m., he said.
“We have received reports that they are encamping at the area for more than a week already and they are making it their temporary harboring as they are planning to celebrate their anniversary, so we conducted operation against them,” he added.
Army troops have been pursuing the rebels as they move toward the nearby village of Trangka, Maasin, passing by the river that separates the two towns. The encounter site is also a kilometer away from the province of Antique.
Magbalot said no one was hurt from the government side while several rebels are believed to have been wounded because of the traces of blood found in the area.
The rebels were identified as members of the Central Front Committee’s Sangay ng Partido sa Platoon (SPP) Baloy.
Magbalot said the rebels are initially planning to harass the detachment sites of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and municipal police station of Maasin town.
Recovered from the encounter site are four improvised explosive devices, two M-16 Armalite rifles, seven backpacks with personal belongings, laptop, subversive documents with high intelligence value, and a flag.
“This confirms that they are planning to celebrate their anniversary there. They will harass a detachment as part of their anniversary celebration, so they will have an accomplishment to discuss but it was a foiled plan for their 50th anniversary,” he said.
While a pursuit operation was ongoing against the 20 rebels, Magbalot said they encountered another more or less 10 rebels about an hour and a half kilometer away from the first encounter site.
He said they suspect the rebels belong to different group that just wanted to mislead them while they are conducting pursuit operations.
Magbalot appealed to the public to be vigilant and provide them information if they happen to monitor similar concern in their area, especially now that rebels are now preparing for their anniversary. (PNA)
