Army prevents bandits from establishing authority in Ilocos Sur town

From the Philippine Information Agency (Jul 29, 2020): Army prevents bandits from establishing authority in Ilocos Sur town (By Joyah Mae C. Quimoyog)

SUYO, Ilocos Sur, July 29 (PIA) - Members of the Philippine Army's 81st Infantry Battalion (81IB) prevented the members of the Komiteng Larangan Gerilya South Ilocos Sur (KLG-SIS) bandits from establishing authority here after a 20-minute firefight at 5:30 a.m. on July 26, 2020.

There were no reported casualties on the Army’s side while it was undetermined on the bandit's side as they immediately withdrew after the firefight held at the outskirts of Sitio Bito, Barangay Poblacion, Suyo.

The said KLG-SIS bandits are under Ronnie Dalem Garvida (alias "NERO") from Dumalneg, Ilocos Norte who faces multiple criminal charges prior to the encounter here.

According to 81IB Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Rodrigo Mariñas Jr., the enemy's den was discovered with the help of the civilians in the community who reported their presence to the Army.

"The full cooperation of the community is very vital in ending the local armed conflict with the communist bandits in the countryside, and we are very grateful to the people of Suyo for giving us timely information about the presence of armed bandits, which resulted to a clash that drove away the bandits and ensure the maintenance of peace in their community," said Lieutenant Colonel Mariñas.

Brigadier General Audrey Pasia, brigade commander of the 702nd Infantry Brigade of the Army which covers Ilocos Sur, said that this isn’t the first time that the Army have encountered the said bandits.

“Last January 13, 2020, we encountered them in Barangay Taleb in Nagbukel, Ilocos Sur. And last February 2, 2020, in Pilar, Abra then they went to Besao in Mountain Province, and in Quirino, Ilocos Sur where we also encountered them last February and April, respectively,” he said.

Brigadier General Pasia added that the bandits were actually going to launch a terror act in time for the State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte when they were encountered.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines will not stop in running after these terrorist armed groups which sow terror and which aim to overthrow this legitimate government through armed revolution. We received reports that they are planning to liquidate certain individuals whom they suspect are government informants. We encounter them because of the support of the populace and the local government units, and we are thankful for that,” he said.

He lauded the troops for tracking the location of the bandits which prevented them from establishing a foothold in Barangay Poblacion of Suyo and likewise praised the alertness of the peace-loving civilians who reported the presence of the bandits to the Army.

“We just need the full cooperation of the populace, wag sila matakot to provide us the information on their location. Pag ma-neutralize natin ang armed groups, hindi na sila magko-cause ng fear or makapag-terrorize ng mga helpless civilians natin in the hinterlands,” he added.

However, he said that because of what is happening right now and in support to the armed groups in the red areas, the Army is expecting the bandits’ cohorts, the leftist organizations coming from the white areas such as Anakbayan, Bayan Muna, Karapatan and their allied organizations, to fabricate lies and malicious accusations against the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police.

“It is but normal, because these leftist organizations are there to support the armed struggle,” he said.

With hope that the youth will choose to side with the national government and help stop insurgency not just in the province but around the country, he warned them not to side with rebel groups but to put their trust with the programs of the national government in the fight against insurgency.

“Sa mga kabataan natin, huwag sila magpaloko at magpalinlang sa mga NPAs at sa mga kunwari legal na grupo na naghihimok sa kanila na sumali sa mga grupong tumutuligsa at naglalayong pabagsakin ang ating gobyerno,” he said. (JCR/AMB/JMCQ/PIA Ilocos Sur)

https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1048854