Google map of Makilala town, North Cotabato
A three-hour clash erupted after government troops respond to reports of communist rebels attempting to extort from farmers in a community along the borders of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur Wednesday.
“The New People’s Army (NPA) is making the poor farmers their milking cow just to survive,” Lt. Colonel Rhodjun Rosales, the commanding officer of the 39th Infantry Battalion (IB) said of the firefight in an interview by reporters here Friday.
Rosales said the encounter, which erupted at dawn Wednesday, was between the Army's 39th IB and the New People’s Army (NPA) combatants under Eusenio Cranzo alias “Commander Butsoy” in Barangay Bala, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur.
Barangay Bala is an upland community near the boundary of Davao Sur and Makilala, North Cotabato.
Rosales said that because of the superior number of the NPAs, estimated to be around 100, the military had to seek air support from Tactical Operations Group (TOC-11) in Davao so the ground troops could penetrate the well-fortified rebel position in the thickly-forested Sitio Bagong Silang.
“The people alerted our troops that the rebels were massing at 2 a.m. in preparation for its massive revolutionary tax collection as soon as the sun rises,” the Army official said.
Rosales could not say if the rebels suffered casualties during the three-hour firefight until the rebels withdrew deep into the forest.
“Our troopers are still in pursuit of the rebels,” Rosales said.
Some 400 individuals fled their homes for fear of getting caught in the crossfire.
The local government of Magsaysay said it has already extended emergency aid to the displaced families now stationed at the village center.
Rosales thanked the civilians for alerting the military about the presence of what he described as” terrorist-extortionists”.
The 39th IB chief vowed to use the military might against lawless elements but keep his door open for those who wish to come down and join the mainstream society.
“While the military is ready to defend the country it also opens its door for those who wish to avail of government programs for rebel returnees,” Rosales said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as an international terrorist organization by the United Stets, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1071165
A three-hour clash erupted after government troops respond to reports of communist rebels attempting to extort from farmers in a community along the borders of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur Wednesday.
“The New People’s Army (NPA) is making the poor farmers their milking cow just to survive,” Lt. Colonel Rhodjun Rosales, the commanding officer of the 39th Infantry Battalion (IB) said of the firefight in an interview by reporters here Friday.
Rosales said the encounter, which erupted at dawn Wednesday, was between the Army's 39th IB and the New People’s Army (NPA) combatants under Eusenio Cranzo alias “Commander Butsoy” in Barangay Bala, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur.
Barangay Bala is an upland community near the boundary of Davao Sur and Makilala, North Cotabato.
Rosales said that because of the superior number of the NPAs, estimated to be around 100, the military had to seek air support from Tactical Operations Group (TOC-11) in Davao so the ground troops could penetrate the well-fortified rebel position in the thickly-forested Sitio Bagong Silang.
“The people alerted our troops that the rebels were massing at 2 a.m. in preparation for its massive revolutionary tax collection as soon as the sun rises,” the Army official said.
Rosales could not say if the rebels suffered casualties during the three-hour firefight until the rebels withdrew deep into the forest.
“Our troopers are still in pursuit of the rebels,” Rosales said.
Some 400 individuals fled their homes for fear of getting caught in the crossfire.
The local government of Magsaysay said it has already extended emergency aid to the displaced families now stationed at the village center.
Rosales thanked the civilians for alerting the military about the presence of what he described as” terrorist-extortionists”.
The 39th IB chief vowed to use the military might against lawless elements but keep his door open for those who wish to come down and join the mainstream society.
“While the military is ready to defend the country it also opens its door for those who wish to avail of government programs for rebel returnees,” Rosales said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as an international terrorist organization by the United Stets, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1071165
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