DUMAGUETE CITY – Joint elements of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are now conducting pursuit operations against a band of alleged New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents following an armed encounter early Monday morning in the remote and mountainous barangay of Linantuyan in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Senior Supt. Raul Tacaca, PNP provincial director, said no one was injured on the government side in the clash that lasted for about 30 minutes.
According to him, he has directed the PNP personnel and the police stations to remain vigilant to avert possible atrocities by the NPA.
“Naka full alert status pa tayo hanggang ngayon at ang sabi ko sa kanila, lalo na sa police stations, (We’re still on full alert status up to now and I told them) to tighten security and not let their guards down,” Tacaca said.
An initial police report showed at around 8:25 a.m. Monday, a team under 1Lt. Lodriguito, on board a KM250 vehicle, was proceeding towards Barangay Linantuyan to attend a condemnation rally against the NPA when an undetermined number of alleged NPA elements fired at them in the vicinity of Sitio Kaningag of the said barangay.
Elements of the Linantuyan Civilian Armed Auxiliary (CAA) led by Lt. Taño were tasked to reinforce the troops that figured in the encounter by conducting route security in the vicinity of Sitio Mandi-e in Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan City, the police report said.
Meanwhile, elements of the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion and other law enforcement teams were also deployed for the pursuit operations.
The police, meanwhile, is assisting in the pursuit operations but concentrating mostly on the checkpoints, according to Tacaca.
The condemnation rally was held following the shooting-to-death early this month of a CAA member assigned in Linantuyan, a mountain village situated about 33 kilometers from the city proper of Guihulngan.
The victim’s companion was also slightly hit but survived that shooting incident, allegedly perpetrated by the NPA. (PNA)
