CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal – Soldiers overran what they believe is the NPA s Southern Tagalog headquarters after a 30-minute firefight on Thursday at Brgy Manoot of Rizal, Occidental Mindoro.
After the encounter, the government forces belonging to the 4th Infantry Battalion recovered one M16 rifle, one Cal .38 pistol, eight anti-personnel mines, IED components, live ammunition, food stuff, personal effects and enemy documents with high intelligence value.
According to Lt Col Alexander Arbolado, Commanding Officer of 4IB, around 20 NPA terrorists tried to defend the area which could accommodate around 60 persons.
He added that “no casualty was recorded on the part of our troops while we believe that the enemy suffered numerous injuries and deaths as manifested by the heavy bloodstains along their route of withdrawal.”
“We will continue conducting focused military operations as our response to the overwhelming clamor of the IP communities to liberate them from CPP-NPA threat, harassment and extortion”, ended Lt Col Arbolado.
Brigadier General Antonio R Lastimado, Commander of the 203rd Brigade which covers MIMARO provinces, attributed this accomplishment to the “people s desire and yearning to cleanse the island of NPA presence so that just peace and lasting development may finally reign.”
BGen Lastimado assured his constituents that the Provincial Task Forces to End Local Communist Armed Conflict l, or PTFs ELCAC, will continue pursuing its mandate in the whole Island of Mindoro while simultaneously addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The overwhelming support of the populace and LGUs to our security forces, and their collective declaration of the NPA terrorists as Persona non Grata, will pave the way for the attainment of our collective aspirations of prosperity and progress for the Mindoreños and for the entire region”, BGenLastimado said.
Major General Arnulfo Marcelo B Burgos Jr, Commander of the Army s 2nd Infantry Division which covers Southern Tagalog, lauded his troops for being unrelenting in performing our mandates as advocates of peace, servants of the people and defenders of Southern Tagalog despite the challenges brought about by the deadly corona virus.
“Our soldiers ability to locate the NPA terrorists headquarters and recover this much volume of war materiel are testaments to the degree of intelligence that we have embedded upon the enemy s ranks as well as the amount of support that we enjoy from the community which are all indicators that the NPA s time of terrorising our people is coming to an end sooner than later”, said Maj Gen Burgos.
He ended his statement with the assurance that “we will pursue them with all of our military might and available resources so that we may finally liberate our people from the clutches of terrorism” while adding that it would be in the best interest of the rebels “to return to the folds of the law, avail government grants through E-CLIP and live peaceful lives together with their families.”
Additional forces have been directed to complement the ongoing pursuit operations while air assets were alerted and prepositioned to provide immediate close air support to the government troops.
Per military records, this is the eight encounter in Mindoro since January which, in their assessment, is a manifestation that the NPAs are no longer enjoying support from their so-called mass base.
[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Contact us: kalinawnews@cmoregiment.com]
https://www.kalinawnews.com/army-overran-big-npa-encampment-in-mindoro-inflicts-casualties-against-terrorists/
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