Soldiers foil rebels extort try in Capiz with villagers’ help

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 17, 2023): Soldiers foil rebels extort try in Capiz with villagers’ help (By Perla Lena)

RECOVERIES. Government troops recover assorted firearms, ammunitions and subversive documents following a firefight with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Duran in Dumalag, Capiz on Friday (Feb. 17, 2023). The Philippine Army cited the vigilance of residents in providing them with information about the presence of the armed group. (Photo courtesy of 3rd Division Public Affairs Office)

ILOILO CITY – The timely information provided by concerned citizens from the municipality of Dumalag in Capiz has prevented the alleged extortion activities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in the mountainous barangay of Duran on Friday.

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, commander of the Philippine Army’s Visayas Command, said the vigilance exercised by residents in providing information was very helpful in their anti-insurgency efforts.

“Their fervent desire for a CPP-NPA-free community drives us to employ legitimate military force against these communist-terrorists to stop them from threatening our people's safety and well-being," he said in a statement released by the 3rd Division Public Affairs Office of the 3rd Infantry Division.

The Division Public Affairs Office, in the same statement, showed the 12th Infantry Battalion has received information about the presence of the armed group in the area prompting them to conduct a security patrol together with the Philippine National Police.

“Upon reaching the area, the troops encountered more or less five fully-armed members of the CPP-NPA terrorist believed to be members of Central Front,” it said.

A five-minute firefight ensued before the rebels fled toward the southeast. No one was hurt in the brief gun battle among the government troopers but bloodstains were found along the NPAs' withdrawal route.

A homemade 12-gauge shotgun, one .45-caliber pistol, two anti-personnel mines with detonator switches, one hand grenade, five magazines for M16 rifle, two magazines for .45 caliber, assorted live ammunition, personal belongings, assorted medicine and subversive documents were recovered in the encounter site after the estimated five-minute exchange of fire.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1195509