CPP-NPA aggravates COVID-19 crisis situation in Northern Samar

From the Philippine Information Agency (Apr 8, 2020): CPP-NPA aggravates COVID-19 crisis situation in Northern Samar (By PIA-8 and 8ID, PA)

TACLOBAN CITY, April 8 (PIA) -- One soldier was wounded while an undetermined number of casualties on the enemies’ side was reported, in an encounter between the government troops and the NPAs at Barangay Lakandula, Las Navas, Northern Samar around 2:50 p.m. on April 7, 2020.

A report coming from the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army disclosed that the 20th Infantry Battalion of the 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army received a report from a concerned civilian pertaining the presence of an armed group believed to be Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs) harassing the locals of Brgy. Lakandula.

The CNTs were forcefully collecting foods and other basic commodities while the village is on General Community Quarantine (GCQ) due to COVID-19.

This prompted the military to conduct Community Protection Patrol and engaged in a firefight with more or less fifteen (15) CNTs.

The encounter resulted to the wounding of one soldier while there is an undetermined number of casualties on the enemies side as evidenced by bloodstains found in the enemy's escape route.

To recall, on March 19, 2020, President Rodrigo R. Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with the CPP-NPA to which the CPP ordered the NPA on March 26, 2020 a similar ceasefire with the government as the nation grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic.

"While the entire nation is battling the contagion, the CNTs are taking advantage of the ceasefire by regrouping and arming themselves to orchestrate an attack against our government forces. The enemies are intimidating the populace who are already experiencing fear and uncertainty due to the GCQ by forcibly extracting food causing thereby scarcity of resources in the far-flung communities,” Major General Pio Q. Diñoso III, Commander of 8ID, said.

"This deliberate violation of the ceasefire by the NPA will not hamper the delivery of the urgently needed medical, health and economic assistance as well as the movement of the people. Your Army assures the public that we will not drop our guard in securing the people and to work with the government to bring back normalcy in our lives that are derailed by the dreaded virus,” Diñoso added. (PIA8/8ID)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1038392