Thursday, March 17, 2016

Military raises alert status in North Cotabato after capture of top NPA leader in Mindanao

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 17): Military raises alert status in North Cotabato after capture of top NPA leader in Mindanao
 
MAKILALA, North Cotabato -- Military authorities here have heightened its alert status following the arrest on Wednesday of a high-ranking official of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels in adjacent Matanao, Davao del Sur.

Army Capt. Danny Tapang, 39th Infantry Battalion (IB) civilian-military relations office chief, said military troops continue to scour the boundary this town and Matanao in search of rebels who fled to various direction following a fierce encounter with state forces.

The military pursuit operation has been launched following persistent reports of NPA sightings in the mountainous sections of Makilala and Tulunan municipalities here, and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat province.

"The 39th IB ordered all units in full-alert status to deter any threat to civilian populace and possible retaliation from the rebels," he said.

Tapang noted that military patrols were also recently augmented to deter offensives that might be carried out by the NPA and similar radical groups in connection with the May 9, 2016 national and local polls.

On Wednesday, joint 39th IB and Matanao police operatives responded to persistent reports by field assets over the rebels’ presence along the Makilala-Matanao border.

After an hour-long firefight, the rebels withdrew and led government troops to capture Joan Casamorin alias "Alvin", the current vice-commanding officer of NPA Guerilla Front 72 of the Far South Mindanao Regional Committee (FSMR) in Central Mindanao.

The soldiers managed to later retrieve the body of an NPA militant, identified only as “Jebjeb”, who was killed during the encounter.

Also recovered at the encounter site were three homemade bombs, a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition that were left behind by the rebels.

Tapang said Casamorin is currently facing a number of robbery, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, homicide, and murder charges before the local courts.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=867700

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