Google map of Lupon, Davao Oriental.
Officials of the Davao Oriental provincial government and the military condemned Tuesday the recent attack of the communist New People’s Army’s (NPA) on government troops and civilians.
In a statement, Governor Nelson Dayanghirang said the "unceasing atrocities" by the communist guerillas against the military and the police as well as civilian targets in the province "must be stopped."
Dayanghirang was referring to the NPA attack on the remote village of Maragatas in Lupon town, resulting in two armed encounters between NPA and government forces.
He also lauded the military and the police forces for “knocking the enemy down” to ensure the "safety and protection of the people.'
“This is a major accomplishment not only for the government but a huge victory for the people. Because this would not have been possible without the community’s help,” the governor said.
Prior to the attack on the village, Barangay Maragatas Chief Beverly Rebalde declared the NPA as "persona non-grata" or unwelcome, even as she called on her constituents to resist the NPA's influence in the area.
Maragatas accused the NPA of "inflicting terror on civilians" even amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Lt. Col. Alexander Banatao, commander of the Army's 28th Infantry Battalion (28IB), condemned the NPAs use of improvised explosive devices during the encounters.
Banatao said the use of banned weapons “only shows the NPA rebels’ blatant disregard of the International Humanitarian Law which strongly prohibits the use of landmines or improvised explosive devices.”
“Timely and accurate information from the community greatly helped us in our pursuit to end insurgency and attain a genuine and lasting peace in our area of responsibility,” he added.
Banatao said the first encounter occurred on May 9 in Sitio Tawas, Barangay Maragatas, Lupon, during which government forces managed to rescue a 17-year-old NPA rebel.
Jack (not his real name), told the military that he was “forcibly recruited” and that three of his former comrades aged 15-16 years old also fled the NPA.
Banato said Jack led them to an NPA weapons’ cache hidden near their house in Barangay Cabayangan, Dujali, Davao del Norte, where the military and the police recovered an M4 rifle, two bandoliers, and five magazines with live ammunition.
He said the second encounter broke out in Sitio Piagdugan, Barangay Maragatas, on May 16 where members of the NPA detonated two IEDs, causing minor injuries on three soldiers.
1st Lt. Justin Yu, 28IB civil-military operations officer, said the encounter erupted when NPA rebels opened fire on military troopers responding to civilian reports of NPA sightings.
Yu said the injured soldiers were immediately airlifted to Camp Panacan Hospital here for treatment and are now in stable condition.
The NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1103257
In a statement, Governor Nelson Dayanghirang said the "unceasing atrocities" by the communist guerillas against the military and the police as well as civilian targets in the province "must be stopped."
Dayanghirang was referring to the NPA attack on the remote village of Maragatas in Lupon town, resulting in two armed encounters between NPA and government forces.
He also lauded the military and the police forces for “knocking the enemy down” to ensure the "safety and protection of the people.'
“This is a major accomplishment not only for the government but a huge victory for the people. Because this would not have been possible without the community’s help,” the governor said.
Prior to the attack on the village, Barangay Maragatas Chief Beverly Rebalde declared the NPA as "persona non-grata" or unwelcome, even as she called on her constituents to resist the NPA's influence in the area.
Maragatas accused the NPA of "inflicting terror on civilians" even amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Lt. Col. Alexander Banatao, commander of the Army's 28th Infantry Battalion (28IB), condemned the NPAs use of improvised explosive devices during the encounters.
Banatao said the use of banned weapons “only shows the NPA rebels’ blatant disregard of the International Humanitarian Law which strongly prohibits the use of landmines or improvised explosive devices.”
“Timely and accurate information from the community greatly helped us in our pursuit to end insurgency and attain a genuine and lasting peace in our area of responsibility,” he added.
Banatao said the first encounter occurred on May 9 in Sitio Tawas, Barangay Maragatas, Lupon, during which government forces managed to rescue a 17-year-old NPA rebel.
Jack (not his real name), told the military that he was “forcibly recruited” and that three of his former comrades aged 15-16 years old also fled the NPA.
Banato said Jack led them to an NPA weapons’ cache hidden near their house in Barangay Cabayangan, Dujali, Davao del Norte, where the military and the police recovered an M4 rifle, two bandoliers, and five magazines with live ammunition.
He said the second encounter broke out in Sitio Piagdugan, Barangay Maragatas, on May 16 where members of the NPA detonated two IEDs, causing minor injuries on three soldiers.
1st Lt. Justin Yu, 28IB civil-military operations officer, said the encounter erupted when NPA rebels opened fire on military troopers responding to civilian reports of NPA sightings.
Yu said the injured soldiers were immediately airlifted to Camp Panacan Hospital here for treatment and are now in stable condition.
The NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom, the European Union, the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1103257
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