Army soldier wounded in clash with rebels in Iloilo town

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 21): Army soldier wounded in clash with rebels in Iloilo town

An army soldier was wounded in an encounter Friday with an undetermined number of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the hinterlands of Tubungan, Iloilo.

In a belated report, Major Rey Tiongson, spokesman of the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Philippine Army based in Camp Macario Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz, said the firefight between soldiers of the 82nd Inrantry (Bayanihan) Battalion (82IB) and NPA rebels believed to be members of the Southern Front, Komiteng Rehiyonal-Panay happened in Sitio Cadinglian, Brgy. Bulok, Tubungan in Southern Iloilo past 3:00 p.m. on Friday.

Tiongson said the firefight resulted to the wounding of Pfc Ronald Apeladas who is now in stable condition at the Western Visayas Medical Center here where he was brought for immediate medical treatment from gunshot wounds on his left thigh and part of his body.

The gun battle which lasted for almost an hour later saw the enemy scampered to different directions, avoiding further head-on clash with the government forces.

The 3ID spokesman, citing a military report from the field, said the enemy also suffered several casualties after soldiers saw them carrying their wounded comrades as they withdrew towards the forested area in that mountain barangay.

For his part, Lt. Col. Aldwin Almase, commander of 82IB based in Camp Monteclaro, Miag-ao, Iloilo immediately dispatched augmentation force to the scene of the encounter and conducted hot pursuit operation against the fleeing rebels.

The pursuing government forces scouring the scene of encounter recovered food stuff and kitchen utensils as well as personal belongings left behind by the fleeing rebel insurgents.

Almase said his men has conducted an internal security patrol operations in remote Brgy. Bulok based on intelligence information given by hinterland residents on the presence of armed insurgents in the area when they encountered the heavily armed bands.

He said the Army’s bayanihan activities in far-flung localities is gaining ground leading to a harmonious bond between the military and hinterland folk who were already fed-up with the marauding armed rebels out to disturb the peace-loving community in the mountain barangays in Tubungan and adjoining Igbaras town.

The Bayanihan battalion also asked the collaborative efforts of local government units (LGUs) and barangays concerned in its effort to win back the hearts of the people in the countryside as well as to help convince misguided individuals to return to the fold of law and join the meanstream of society towards a peaceful living and economic prosperity.

Prior to the encounter in Brgy. Bulok, a staccato of gun fires were heard some 500 meters away from the army based in Brgy. Lanag Norte, a hinterland barangay located in the boundary of the neighboring Leon, Iloilo.

The Tubungan encounter happened barely two days after the 82IB soldiers also clashed with the rebel insurgents early Wednesday afternoon in the hinterlands of Brgy. Igcabugao in the adjoining Igbaras town.

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