Soldier hurt in series of clashes in ComVal, Sarangani

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 12): Soldier hurt in series of clashes in ComVal, Sarangani

A soldier was hurt in series of armed encounters that took place in the provinces of Compostela Valley and Sarangani on Saturday, the army reported.

Captain Rhyan Batchar, chief information officer of 10th Infantry (Agila) Division said the first armed encounter took place 10:30 a.m. Saturday when troopers of 73rd Infantry Battalion engaged in a two-hour firefight New People’s Army rebels in Sitio Tangis, Barangay Little Datal Anggas, Sarangani.

The NPAs, Batchar said, belonged to Guerrilla Front 71 operating in the area.

A soldier was wounded during the encounter and was immediately airlifted to Camp Panacan in Davao City for medical attention.

The name of the soldier is being withheld pending notification of his family, Batchar added.

Batchar said 73rd IB troopers were in pursuit of the fleeing NPA they engaged last February 6 and 8 in Sitio Kisoy, Barangay Little Baguio, Malita, Davao Occidental and Sitio Dulid, Barangay Datal Anggas, Alabel, Sarangani.

In another incident on the same day, Batchar said three consecutive firefights occurred in Barangay Bollucan, Laak town, Compostela Valley at around 10:40 a.m.

Elements of 60th Infantry Battalion engaged an undetermined number of NPAs belonging to Guerrilla Front 34 and Pulang Bagani Company 4 in an hour of gunbattle.

Another 40-minute gunfight took place when 60th IB troopers, supported by Simba fighting vehicles engaged the same group of NPA rebels during pursuit operations 12:00 noon on Saturday, around 700 meters in distance from the first encounter.

Continuing pursuit operation in the afternoon also resulted to a 30-minute gunfight in the area, Batchar said.

He added that 60th IB troopers were pursuing the NPAs in Laak after an encounter last February 10 that also led to the discovery of rebel encampments in barangays Macopa, Langtud and Bollukan.

Meanwhile, troopers of 67th Infantry Battalion onboard three KM450 military trucks were also attacked with an improvised explosive device by NPAs at the vicinity Sitio Daw-an, Barangay San Jose, Caraga town, Davao Oriental around 2:45 a.m. of February 11.

No soldier was hurt during the incident, Batchar said.

The 10th ID earlier accounted a total of 10 NPA rebels returning to the folds of the law since February 1.

Most of them voluntarily submitted through the efforts of the 67th IB.

“These latest incidents involved the employment of MG 520 attack helicopter and 105 mm howitzer which delivered fire support to the engaged troops. Ground forces are now conducting clearing operations to determine and assess the effectiveness of the fire support while searching for possible enemy casualties,” Batchar said.

Major General Rafael C. Valencia, commander of 10th ID said relentless combat operations shall go on until the NPA finally abandon the armed struggle.

"We are urging NPA members to return to the folds of the law and abandon the group that continue to extort, attack and harass our fellow Filipinos," Valencia pointed out.

Intensified combat operations are on-going in the areas covered by 10th ID since the government's lifting of ceasefire.

All troops under 10th ID are on heightened alert following the series of armed incidents, Batchar said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=963277