Army vows continued offensives vs NPA in Davao region

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 3): Army vows continued offensives vs NPA in Davao region

While they called on the communist rebels to return to the fold of the law, top officers of the Philippine Army in the Davao region on Monday vowed to continue the military offensive against the New People’s Army (NPA).

Major General Rafael Valencia, commander of 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, also lauded the efforts of the 25th Infantry Battalion (IB) and the 28th IB for quelling the attempts of the rebels to sow fear and atrocities to civilian communities and business establishments in the region.

"Our military offensives will continue to hit the NPA harder until they (will) realize to finally abandon the armed struggle," Valencia said.

Brig. Gen. Macairog Alberto, commander of 1001st Infantry Brigade, also called on the remaining members of NPA in the region to avail of the government’s integration program.

Alberto said government troopers will intensify their military operations against the rebels in Compostela Valley province, one of the areas of operation of the brigade.

He also assured the people in the province of “unhampered development" as the brigade “will ensure that communities will be peaceful and conflict free.”

On Sunday, elements of 25th IB recovered four high-powered firearms left by fleeing and wounded NPA rebels in Montevista, Compostela Valley.

The recovered firearms include an AK-47 rifle, two M653 baby armalite rifles and an M203 grenade launcher, said 10th ID chief information officer Capt. Rhyan Batchar.

Troopers of 28th IB also recovered backpacks, a handheld radio and shirts marked with BHB after an encounter in Don Salvador, Mati City, Davao Oriental last Saturday.

Batchar also reported that two soldiers were wounded when hit by an improvised explosive devise launched by NPA rebels in Barangay Tagbinunga, Mati City late last week.

The wounded soldiers were identified as PFC Jouie Oliveros and PFC Anatoly Lechoncito.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=977130