Five troopers were killed while four others were wounded
during a 30-minute encounter involving a platoon of "B" Company of
the 4th Infantry Battalion against 30 elements of the New People’s Army (NPA)
in Hagan Village
4th Infantry Battalion Commander Lieutenant Colonel Rodolfo
A. Gesim identified the troopers as Cpl Roland T. Bernal, Civilian Armed Forces
Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary (CAA) Fulgencio B. Rolando, CAA Christer M.
Gadon, CAA Garry S. Galindez and CAA Ernesto M. Malubay and were declared
killed-in-action.
He also identified as wounded-in-action Pfc Mark Leo A.
Nacion, Pfc Argie P. Capucao, CAA Jesse S. Francisco and CAA Meddy M. Gaban.
The casualties were airlifted by military choppers later in
the afternoon to Roxas, Oriental Mindoro for funeral and medical attention.
Lieutenant Colonel Gesim said that the troops were on combat
operations in response to the killing of a member of the village (barangay)
council of the said village few days ago by the NPA rebels.
"The troops were determined to get the killers, they
fought bravely with their heart by dislodging the NPAs from their entrenched
position," said LTC Gesim. "But sadly, we lost some of them," he
continued.
He also said that the NPA's laid landmines in the perimeter
that inflicted initial damage to the operating troops.
203rd Infantry Brigade Commander Colonel Gavin Edjawan has
directed pursuit operations as reinforcements were inserted in strategic areas
by military helicopters which also provided close air support to the engaged
troops.
The AFP Southern Luzon Command believes that these NPAs are
part of the group that attacked Paluan Municipal Police Station in Occidental
Mindoro in November 2014. Since then, 203Bde has been tracking the movements of
the rebel group.
Navy patrol gun boats are now conducting maritime patrols
and interdiction operations in selected waters surrounding Mindoro Island
"Now that the troops located them, we will use
necessary force and AFP assets to neutralize them," said SOLCOM Chief
Lieutenant General Ricardo R. Visaya.
SOLCOM is optimistic the encounter will lead to the
neutralization of the NPA group that has long been terrorizing in the island
especially in the hinterlands.
"We are re-doubling our focused military operations to
eliminate the NPAs in pursuit of peace and development in Mindoro ,"
said Lt. Gen. Visaya.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=867097
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