Camp Bancasi, Butuan City — Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troops foiled a surprise attack by the New People’s Army (NPA) just as the military was deep in preparation for tropical depression Queenie earlier this week, an Army spokesman said yesterday.
Acting regional spokesman of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division Capt. Joe Patrick Matinez said elements of First Platoon of the Seventh Misamis Oriental Cafgu Active Auxiliary (CAA) belonging to the Eighth Infantry Battalion (8th IB) managed to defend their detachment against an undetermined number of heavily-armed communist rebels at the Kawali Patrol Base stationed at Sitio Kawali, Barangay Kibanban, in Balingasag town, Misamis Oriental.
“The NPAs took advantage of the lull in the military’s offensive as the soldiers were involved in disaster preparedness for tropical depression Queenie,” he said.
WOUNDED IN ACTION — Maj. Gen. Oscar T. Lactao, commanding general of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry Division (Diamond), gives cash assistance to Sgt. Pangilan Juhaili of the 29th Infantry Battalion. Juhaili was one of eight soldiers who were cited for bravery and gallantry when they were wounded in the various skirmishes the military has had with the New People’s Army (NPA) recently. (4th ID PIO)
He said the attacking forces were members of guerilla-Front Committee 4-B of the CPP-NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).
“Our troops defended their camp and fired at the enemy line in two fronts- one just 50 meters away and the other was almost 500 meters away,” claimed Martinez, quoting the flash report from the 8th IB.
“However, after sensing that our troops were ferociously fighting back, (the rebels) hastily withdrew in different directions and abandoned their plan to overrun the camp,” added the acting regional Army spokesman.
No one was reported wounded in the almost 15-minute firefight.
Yesterday, Lt. Col. Jose Eriel Niembra, commanding officer the 8th IB deployed more combat troops to beef up the pursuing troops in Kibanban area.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Oscar T. Lactao, commanding general of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (4th ID) awarded eight of his gallant men on Tuesday who were wounded in action during a recent gunbattle against NPAs.
Sgt. Pangilan Juhaili was awarded the Wounded Personnel Medal (WPM) and received cash assistance from 4th ID for his bravery during an encounter against NPAs at Barangay Tagbongabong, in RTR town, Agusan del Norte recently.
The second gallant soldier recognized was Private First Class Alex Abcede, who was wounded in action after the troops from 26th Infantry Battalion encountered 30 rebels at the hinterlands of Barangay Mahagsay, San Luis, Agusan del Sur recently.
Six other personnel, namely Corporal Fedelito Icare, Private First Class Rodolfo Naong, Private First Class Jaymar Cabuguas, Private First Class Elijean J Bagtasos, Private First Class Julius Sabijon and Private First Class Joedel A Garcia also received medals and cash assistance after they were also wounded during the series of armed engagements last November 15 to November 18 this year at Barangay Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.
http://www.mb.com.ph/alert-troops-foil-treacherous-npa-attack/
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.