An Army soldier was killed when government troops overran a
camp of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) after a firefight in the
hinterlands of Bukidnon, a military report said Thursday.
In a report reaching here, Capt. Norman Tagros, the
spokesperson of the Army's 8th Infantry Battalion (8IB) based in Bukidnon, said
that the armed encounter took place in the mountain of Kitao-tao, Bukidnon
Wednesday morning.
Tagros identified the lone casualty as PFC Glen Rojay Bacas,
of the 8IB.
He said that the soldiers recovered Improvised Explosive
Device (IED), some detonating cords, empty shells of AK-47 rifle, foodstuffs,
medical supplies and subversive documents in the rebel camp.
“We do not know how many casualties the rebels have had but
blood stains were evident in the scattered medical kits in the camp,” he said.
Tagros said that the rebels fled toward different directions
after the firefight.
He said that the Army, in coordination with the local
police, conducts combat operations in the area in response to reports that an
armed group has been threatening farmers through force taxation and extortion.
Lt. Col. Lennon Babilonia, commander of the 8IB, urged the
farmers and residents to stay because the Army soldiers would be around to
protect the peoples’ rights and interests.
“We call upon the nearby communities where our operations
are being conducted not to panic and avoid listening to political cadres of the
communist rebels to evacuate,” Babilonia said.
The 8th IB commander also exhorted the farmers and residents
to be discerning in dealing with organizations that only aim to exploit their
concerns and offer solutions through a violent nature.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=771590
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