1 dead, 2 firearms recovered as Army encounters NPAs at a Butuan City hinter village

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 6): 1 dead, 2 firearms recovered as Army encounters NPAs at a Butuan City hinter village

An armed person was killed believed to be a member of the New People’s Army and two firearms were recovered after Army troopers under 29th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division on combat patrol encountered an undetermined number of armed men at a hinter village of Butuan City, on Thursday morning.

In a texted message, Army Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of the 4ID, Philippine Army , said that on Thursday morning an army team from the 29IB, 4ID, PA responded to an information from some village residents about the presence of armed persons in their village, allegedly doing some recruitment through lectures on “Batakang Kursong Pang-Masa (NPA Basic Mass Course).”

Lt. Col. Adonis Ariel G. Orio, Commanding Officer of the 29th IB sent an army team to the said area. The armed group, accordingly unmindful of the civilians fired at the approaching army troopers. The soldiers then managed to maneuver to a vantage position keeping the civilians away from the danger and a 25-minute firefight ensued at Sitio Dugayman, Brgy. Anticala, this city at 5:30 a.m.

The encounter resulted to the killing of one NPA and the recovery of two firearms, an AK-47 Rifle and an AR-18 Rifle, 9 improvised explosive devices (IED) and 10 back packs with NPA personal belongings and subversive documents with high intelligence value, which were left by the armed group as they hastily left the area and retreated farther up towards the hinterlands after the firefight. There was no casualty from the side of the government troopers.

The fatality was then brought down by the army personnel at the village hall to be identified by the residents, but nobody in the village had identified the dead armed man. Even the village chief Hon. Armando Boligor believed that the fatality was not a resident of his village. The cadaver was then brought by the police investigators after it was turned over to them by the army and village officials for identification and further investigation. It was then placed at a local funeral parlor in Brgy. Ampayon, this city.

Police Deputy Operations Officer PInsp. Ronelo Dormitorio, of Butuan City Police Station 4, based in Brgy. Ampayon, this city said that a woman claiming to be the mother of the slain armed man went to the funeral parlor at 12:30 a.m. Friday and identified the dead body as that of a certain Reynaldo Logronio, 21; a native of Purok 5, Sitio Tagolahi, Brgy. Antongalon, this city.

The mother told police investigators that their family was looking for her son after the latter sought her permission to go Metro Manila, where his brother was also working. He was not able to go home since then, until she found his cadaver at the funeral home on Friday morning.

Col. Alexander Macario, Commander of the 401st Infantry Brigade congratulated his gallant soldiers who successfully protected the people from the rebels. The official also thanked the civilians who provided the timely information. He however was saddened about the loss of another Filipino life who could have been still alive and enjoyed life with his family especially during this time of the season.

The 4th ID PA Commander MGen. Oscar T. Lactao during a recent forum in Butuan City claimed that the government is winning in its insurgency campaign as the NPA initiated violence (NIVIs) decreased by 43% from the 3rd quarters to the 4th quarters of this year. Based on the recently released army figure, there were 40 NPA initiated violence during the 3rd quarter of 2014, thirty-two (32) during the 4th quarter of the same year, rising again to 40 during the 1st quarter of 2015 then down to 23 on the 2nd quarter of this year, and up to 33 on the 3rd quarter or a rise of 23% but declined to 19 or a drop of 43% as 2015 is about to close. Most number of the NIVIs against government troops are harassments while arson against the civilians according to the army figures recently released.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=834758