From the Sun Star-Davao (Nov 27): Army, NPA clash anew in New Bataan
TROOPS belonging to the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division clashed anew Thursday with suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) in the village of Manurigao in New Bataan, Compostela Valley.
First Lieutenant Vergel Lacambra, 10th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the Army's 66th Infantry Battalion was conducting a medical mission in the area when its personnel encountered the rebels around 9 a.m. Thursday.
Lacambra said the firefight lasted for about five minutes before the NPA rebels withdrew.
"Fortunately, no casualty was reported on the government side and all the medical teams are already safe," Lacambra said.
He added that despite the incident, the medical outreach program, spearheaded by the Compostela Valley Provincial Health Office and other local agencies, pushed through with the medical mission.
The Barangay Manurigao in New Bataan is a geographically isolated and depressed area (Gida), which is also home to the Indigenous People community of the Mandaya Tribe, Lacambra said.
He also said that a series of meetings and coordination between the same battalion and tribal leaders of the town led to the collaboration of various stakeholders in bringing basic services to the community.
Last Tuesday, an improvised explosive device exploded along the road in Barangay Bantacan of the same municipality just hours before the medical outreach program started.
"Rest assured that the troops are now in pursuit of the rebels whose clear intent was to prevent these badly needed services from reaching the community," Lacambra said.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/local-news/2014/11/27/army-npa-clash-anew-new-bataan-378925
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