CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal — One NPA terrorist was killed after an encounter at Brgy Bungahan of Gumaca, Quezon at around 4 p.m. Tuesday.
The troops also recovered a grenade, an IED and a backpack containing enemy documents with high intelligence value.
The team of soldiers were in the area distributing leaflets as part of their intensified information dissemination to support the government’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19.
According to Lt Col Edward Canlas, Commanding Officer of 59th Infantry Battalion where the engaged troops are assigned, one of the soldiers were approached by a resident “who seem to have a very urgent tip.”
That information turned out to be “about the presence of around 30 NPA terrorists in a location not more than a kilometer from the village”, added Lt Col Canlas.
According to the military, the troops were forced to act on the report considering the close location of the NPA terrorists to the village which is considered as an unacceptable action due to the imminent threat towards the community.
Brigadier General Norwyn Romeo Tolentino, Commander of the 201st Infantry Brigade which has operational jurisdiction over southern Quezon, said that “the NPA’s proximity to the soldiers’ location posed a clear and present danger not only to our forces but also to the people whom they are extorting from”.
“The NPA terrorists’ act of asking for food and money from the community, particularly during this time of COVID-19 crisis wherein people are deprived of their means of living, is not only insensitive but also despicable and hideous that no form of explanation will ever be acceptable”, added BGen Tolentino.
Due to the corona virus pandemic, all municipalities under Quezon Province is under enhanced community quarantine, a government policy that has severely affected the local’s means of living which is primarily agriculture-based livelihood and businesses.
Major General Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr, Commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division which covers Southern Tagalog, said that they “believe that the NPA terrorists suffered considerable losses, something that they never expected considering that, obviously, they are planning for a tactical offensive against our soldiers who were merely on a peaceful mission” in response to the Filipino people’s aspiration “to stop the spread of the deadly virus”.
He described the terrorists’ action in Gumaca as a desperate attempt to save face after their actions backfired and gained widespread criticism from the Filipinos who realized that their so-called solidarity with the entire nation during these challenging times is nothing but mere lip-service.
He reiterated his “condemnation of the NPA terrorists’ provocative actions which is tantamount to violation of their ‘reciprocal declaration of ceasefire’ last March 26 and a manifestation of their insincerity and callousness to the plight of our nation as a whole.”
“Similar to the NPA’s initial violation of ceasefire provisions in Rodriguez, Rizal last Saturday, our soldiers would have failed to defend themselves as well as the community and the people whom we have sworn to protect if not for the timely information given by the concerned citizen” to whom, according to Maj Gen Burgos, “the soldiers shall forever be grateful.”
He ended his statement by assuring the people of Southern Tagalog that “the soldiers will remain steadfast in performing our mandate to serve our people and secure this part of our land while committing ourselves to the urgent task of containing the spread of COVID-19. We will adhere to the provisions of the unilateral ceasefire without prejudice to the safety and security of the people in our communities.”
According to the military, the outpouring of information against the enemies-of-the-state supports their assessment that insurgency in Southern Tagalog is already on the verge of collapse brought about by the fast-eroding mass base support toward the underground movement.
The engaged troops have been on the frontlines of raising awareness about COVID-19 to far-flung communities in southern Quezon. Similar activities are being conducted in the municipalities of Atimonan, Unisan and Pitogo.
Distributing informative leaflets is one of the soldiers’ efforts to complement the loudspeaker operations in areas which are not accessible to their vehicle-mounted speakers.
[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]
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