CAMP GEN. MATEO CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – Joint military and police forces continue to engage remaining New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists in series of armed encounters in Balayan, Batangas which started Saturday morning.
In a report reaching this camp on Monday, Brigadier General Arnulfo Marcelo B. Burgos Jr. commander of the 202nd Infantry (UNIFIER) Brigade of the Philippine Army 2nd Infantry “Jungle Fighter” Division (2ID), said the pursuit operations remained .
Government forces reported that two soldiers were slightly wounded during Saturday clash and are now in stable condition after receiving appropriate medical attention while casualties from the NPA terrorists are still being validated.
The 202nd Infantry (UNIFIER) Brigage commander said they have reliable information indicating that there are still remaining terrorist elements of the NPAs in the area.
Burgos, who is supervising the operations said they were remnants of the NPA Sub-Regional Military Area (SRMA) 4C, which lost 15 fighters and 13 firearms during an armed encounter with government troops in Nasugbu, Batangas last Nov. 28, 2017.”
He said the troops were conducting the combat operations on Saturday morning when they clashed with the NPAs at Sitio Kapihan, Barangay Patugo in Nasugbu, Batangas.
He said the first exchange of gunfire erupted around 8:30 a.m. and lasted for almost 30 minutes, sending the enemies of the state to scamper to different directions, apparently wounding the NPA remnants as indicated in the bloodstains at the battlezone.
In an ensuing firefight around 9:12 a.m. also on Saturday, the fleeing enemies were blocked by another group of soldiers conducting combat operations in Sitio Sahing in the same barangay.
Reports from the encounter site by government troops disclosed that about 30 NPAs engaged government troops in almost an hour of firefight.
According to the 730th Combat Group of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) as one of the units under the operational supervision of the brigade, the NPAs in Balayan, Batangas area are consolidating for a tactical offensive strategically to project relevance in Batangas prior to the NPA anniversary on March 29.
Both AFP and PNP forces are now continuing their pursuit operations against the withdrawing terrorists as checkpoints are also heightened and expanded in the area.
"These actions will send a message to the enemies-of-the-state that their terrorist activities against the people are futile," said Major General Rhoderick M. Parayno, Commander of the Philippine Army’s 2ID.
Parayno also said that the NPA terrorists are given the opportunity to surrender because as he said “although we do not rejoice in killing our fellow Filipinos, we are duty bound to take calculated and internationally accepted military actions."
The military expressed gratitude to the commitment and support of the Batangas Alliance on Internal Security Operation (BAISO) and Cavite Alliance on ISO (CAISO).
Government forces particularly praised efforts and the unwavering assistance of the Local Chief Executives (LCEs) on the AFP's continuing campaign against the NPA terrorists.
The BAISO and CAISO are the local government unit (LGUs) alliances initiated by their local government leaders in Batangas and Cavite that provide a venue to discuss the local security threats that hinder peace and development in the area.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1028267
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