Combat troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) overran an NPA encampment in hinterland Mahagsay area, San Luis, Agusan del Sur on Maundy Thursday (April 13).
Capt. Jasper T. Gacayan, Civil Military Operations (CMO) Officer of the Army’s 401st Infantry (Unity) Brigade on Saturday (April 15) said the seized NPA encampment has an estimated 2-hectare area with 70 bunkers and outposts, make-shift huts and kitchen and guerrilla listening posts.
(Wikimedia / MANILA BULLETIN)
“The NPA camp was captured when our field combat maneuvering troops of the Army’s 26th Infantry battalion made a surprise attack on Maundy Thursday that lasted for almost 30minutes,” Capt. Gacayan said, in an exclusive interview with The Manila Bulletin.
He said that the camp belonged to guerilla-Front Committee 88 of the CPP-NPA North-Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
The camp can accommodate 70 to 80 persons, he said.
Aside from the two dead NPAs during the fierce gunbattle, an estimated 10 other rebels were believed wounded as bloodstains were seen by the operating troops inside the camp and the escape route of withdrawing rebels. Villagers said they saw the fleeing rebels dragging their wounded comrades-in-arms, Capt. Gacayan added.
Operating 26th IB troops under Lt. Col. Rommel Pagayon also seized several war materials inside the camp including CZ 550 Caliber 30 Sniper Rifle with a scope, 10 backpacks containing personal belongings, 34 sacks of rice, canned goods and assorted documents with high intelligence value, the 401st CMO Officer added.
During the operation, Col. Cristobal N. Zaragoza, commanding officer of the 401st Brigade requested air support from the Tactical Operations group of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) Strike Wing to beef up the ground force of the 26thIB.
The seized camp is about 40 kilometers away from the town proper of San Luis in Agusan del Sur province.
“The recovery of the encampment was due to the villagers’ request following the alleged forced revolutionary taxation imposed by the NPAs,” Capt. Gacayan said.
Maj. Gen. Benjamin G. Madrigal, commanding general of the Army’s Northeastern and Northern Mindanao 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division (4th ID) congratulated the 26th IB troopers and thanked them for the sacrifices made on a Holy Week just to protect the communities from NPA threats and extortions. He reminded the troopers to continue to pressure the terrorists but he emphasized that the troops should welcome those who want to go back to the folds of the law and live normal lives.
http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/04/15/afp-troops-overrun-npa-camp-in-agusan-del-sur-hinterland/
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