Army offers medical aid to wounded NPAs in North Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 4): Army offers medical aid to wounded NPAs in North Cotabato

For humanitarian consideration, the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade based in Carmen, North Cotabato has offered the New People's Army (NPA) assistance to evacuate its wounded members to hospitals following fierce firefight in Magpet, North Cotabato. The Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion has launched a series of offensives against NPA guerrillas who have been harassing interior villages of Magpet, a town situated at the foot of the country’s highest peak. Citing reports from fleeing civilians, Col. Prudencio Asto, 6th Infantry Division spokesperson, said more than a dozen guerrillas were wounded when the military launched artillery offensive against about 200 NPAs in the hinterlands of Magpet, Makilala and Kidapawan City.

Col. Ademar Tomaro, Army’s 602nd Brigade commanding officer, which has jurisdiction over Magpet, said wounded NPAs who need medical assistance can coordinate with village officials or with the local government unit so arrangements can be made. “This is for humanitarian reason, no more no less,” Tomaro told the guerrillas in a radio interview.  Joint forces of the 7th, 40th, 57th Infantry Battalions, members of the 6th ID's Reconnaissance Contingent, and the Army’s elite Special Forces are running after guerrillas who fled to the hinterlands of Mt. Apo amid moderate rain spawned by typhoon "Pablo." Tomaro, again citing villagers claim, said the evacuees told Army ground troops of the wounded NPAs carried by fleeing guerrillas.

Daniel Masang, a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu), was killed by a rebel sniper while distributing ammunition to soldiers on Monday morning. Reiterating his offer for humanitarian reasons, Col. Tomaro said: “While we are on different sides of the fence, we are all Filipinos. We can help bring them to hospitals and guarantee them safety while undergoing medication.”  The Army launched its offensive due to complaints from villagers about rampant extortions by NPAs, especially now that Christmas is past approaching. An NPA encampment was captured by advancing forces of the 57th IB. The area with running trenches and fox holes was believed to have been used by the NPAs in conducting extortion activities against civilian-farmers.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=476959