Army soldiers of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army clashed with suspected members of the New People’s Army in Mantiquil, Siaton town in Negros Oriental over the weekend.
Col. Francisco Patrimonio, commander of the Philippine Army’s mother unit in Negros Oriental, said the encounter is apparently part of the planned tactical offensive of the rebels as it marks the 44th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on March 29 or Good Friday.
A report from the Philippine Army said that 79th IB troopers led by 1Lt. Mark Anthony Calamba acted on a report from the civilian populace on Saturday and encountered some 15 fully armed suspected NPA rebels at Sitio Malangsa in Barangay Mantiquil.
The troops said that while they were approaching an abandoned house at the encounter site, they were fired upon allegedly by NPA guerillas hiding in the area.
Firefight lasted for about five minutes before the suspected rebels fled. Recovered were spent shells and kitchen utensils from the encounter site.
No one was reported injured in the clash even as Col. Patrimonio said security measures are now in place to avert any possible tactical offensives by the CPP-NPA this week, especially as the Christian world is observing Holy Week during the period.
The planned tactical offensives of the CPP-NPA, according to Col. Patrimonio, also targets civilians as well as vital installations.
Combat operations continue as part of the Army’s pro-active security measures because of the upcoming May 13 elections as well as the CPP’s founding anniversary and the observance of Holy Week.
The Philippine Army has also warned its Bayanihan Teams and detachments against possible attacks by the insurgents and to take the necessary safety measures, Col. Patrimonio said.
“Also, we reminded those civilians who might be potential subjects for liquidation (by the NPA),” the Army commander said.
He was referring to civilians who belong to the government’s reactionary forces, are under suspicion of being anti-NPA as well as those believed to be military informants.
Some of those warned have already left their respective areas to avoid being targeted by the NPA, Col. Patrimonio disclosed.
Last week, the Philippine Army also met with security officers of vital installations to establish coordination with them as well as with the Philippine National Police to strengthen the security and protection of these vital installations that could be targets of the NPA, he added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=510522
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