Troops pursue NPA rebels

From the Mindanao Examiner (Aug 30, 2019): Troops pursue NPA rebels

Security forces continue to pursue communist insurgents in Misamis Occidental province after soldiers killed a senior rebel leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) and captured 7 others, including a deputy secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines, in fierce clashes in Ozamiz City.

Captain Clint Antipala, of the 1st Infantry Division, said the campaign against the NPA is going on not only in Misamis Occidental, but elsewhere in Western Mindanao where rebel forces are actively operating. “Tuloy-tuloy naman yun operation natin at hindi tayo titigil habang patuloy ang mga terorista sa kanilang pakikipaglaban sa ating pamahalaan,” he said.

Antipala said the recent clashes in Ozamiz City killed a rebel leader, who was only identified by his alias “Nasi,” was the secretary of the Guerrilla Front Sendong of the Western Mindanao Party Committee.

He said among those captured by troops were Nasi’s deputy, a platoon and section leaders, but their identities were not made public as military interrogation to the prisoners continues.

Antipala said soldiers also recovered an M16 automatic rifle, four .45-caliber pistols and 7 fragmentation grenades, including three motorcycles, improvised explosives and P50,000 in cash from the rebels during the weekend fighting.

Colonel Leonel Nicolas, commander of the 102nd Infantry Brigade, lauded the soldiers for the slaying of the rebel leader and capture of the others. “This is a big blow to the communist movement as well as to the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee and we expect that they will be disorganized and disgruntled,” he said.

Just this month, rebel forces threatened to attack power facilities there after they raided the coal-fired power plant of the Mindanao Energy Systems, Inc. (Minergy) in the village of Quezon in Balingasag town in Misamis Oriental and disarmed security guards, seizing 5 high-powered weapons and other military hardware.

Norsen Manggubat, a spokesman for the Communist Party of the Philippines, said raid was in retaliation to the alleged abuses of Minergy to villagers.

He said Minergy’s operation, which started in 2017 “under Duterte’s incitation of installing coal-fired power plants in the pretext of expanding energy resources in the country” allegedly dislocated dwellers from their homes and livelihood.

“This will serve as a warning to Minergy and other companies who are only serving for the interest of profit. The revolutionary movement is ever determined to paralyze and halt Minergy’s operation.” Manggubat was referring to the operations of coal-fired power plants STEAG State Power Inc., and FDC Misamis Power Corporation in the town of Villanueva, also in Misamis Oriental.

The NPA, armed wing of the CPP, has been fighting for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. The movement began in 1930 and is the world’s longest communist insurgency.

https://mindanaoexaminer.com/troops-pursue-npa-rebels/