Military deploys 2 more battalions to fight NPA in Eastern Samar

From Malaya Business Insight (Feb 20, 2023): Military deploys 2 more battalions to fight NPA in Eastern Samar (By Victor Reyes)

THE military has deployed two Army battalions to Eastern Visayas to augment 12 battalions involved in the fight against the New People’s Army in the region.

Capt. Jefferson Mariano, spokesman of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division based in Samar, said the 74th and 42nd infantry battalions (IB), with around 500 men each, are due to arrive in the province today.

“There are two battalions that are going to be placed under our operational control,” Mariano said of the 74th IB which is coming from Zamboanga City and the 42nd from Bicol.

Last Friday, the elite 4th Scout Ranger Company also arrived in Samar to “help increase the operational tempo” in the military’s bid to end NPA presence in Eastern Visayas. The company was previously assigned in Davao City.

“With the two additional battalions, we will be having 14 infantry battalions under the joint Task Force Storm or 8th Infantry Battalion,” Mariano said, adding they are optimistic the additional personnel will lead to the defeat of the NPA in the region.

“With the (scheduled arrival of the two battalions and the arrival of one Scout Ranger company, hopefully within this year we can finish the insurgency problem in our area,” said Mariano.

He did not say how many NPA rebels are operating in the region. “Out of the five active guerrilla fronts in the country, four are in the Samar provinces,” Mariano said.

Meanwhile, an NPA rebel was killed after two encounters with troops from the 78th IB in Borongan City in Eastern Samar, said Mariano.

Mariano said troops were sent to Barangay San Andres after they received information from a concerned citizen about the presence of NPA rebels in the area.

Soldiers clashed with nine NPA rebels last Friday morning, leading to the recovery of an M16 rifle and a backpack.

Pursuing troops again clashed with the fleeing rebels, resulting in the death of one of the rebels and the recovery of an anti-personnel mine and assorted ammunition.

https://malaya.com.ph/news_news/military-deploys-2-more-battalions-to-fight-npa-in-eastern-samar/