Gov't forces liberate N. Cotabato upland village from NPAs

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 25): Gov't forces liberate N. Cotabato upland village from NPAs

Government forces drove away communist rebels who occupied a remote uptown village in North Cotabato following a brief clash, the Army said Saturday.

“Government forces have retaken the village of Camutan in Antipas town, which the NPAs (New People's Army) occupied for a day,” 1Lt. Silver Belvis, speaking for the Army’s 39th Infantry Battalion, said.

Antipas Mayor Egidio Cadungon said the rebels have fled and that all civilians earlier reported trapped, have been accounted for.

Belvis said the village had been recovered at about 5 p.m. Friday and residents have been told to return home.

No civilian was harmed, and no government troop was hurt in a brief firefight Thursday night, Belvis said.

The local government of Antipas had started sending back to their communities about 80 families who fled when the rebels belonging to Guerilla Front 73 arrived and tried to convince males to join their ranks.

In a similar incident, the 27th Infantry Battalion also occupied a remote village in Tablu, Tampakan, South Cotabato after the NPA fled to the borders of Sultan Kudarat, Davao del Sur and South Cotabato Saturday morning.

The villagers can return home, said Army Lt. Col. Benjamin Leander, 27th IB commander.

More than 50 families fled Friday morning after about 50 guerrillas harassed a militia detachment in Barangay Tablu.

There was no casualty on the government side. Quoting villagers, Leander said at least four NPA attackers were seen carried by fleeing guerrillas following an Army operation.

But Leander admitted they could not confirm the report.

“Barangay Tablu is now peaceful. The rebels have fled to the other side of the mountains,” Leander said, referring to the NPA strongholds in the mountains of Columbio town in Sultan Kudarat and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur.

Mila Lorca, South Cotabato provincial disaster risk reduction officer, said the displaced families, now at the Tampakan town gymnasium, reside near the militia base camp near Sagittarius Mines Inc., a mining firm.

Following Friday’s skirmishes, classes have been suspended in Barangay Tablu.

Lorca said the affected families have been given relief goods. The provincial government is working for their return to Tablu where the evacuees’ livelihood is located.

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