FALLEN SOLDIER. Private First-Class Mark Nemis of the 301st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army was killed in an encounter with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army on Tuesday (April 7, 2020) in Lambunao, Iloilo. Maj. Gen. Eric Vinoya, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said that the rebels have violated the ceasefire declared by President Rodrigo Duterte. (Photo courtesy of 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office)
A member of the Philippine Army was killed in a clash with rebels in Lambunao town, Iloilo on Tuesday despite the unilateral ceasefire with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) declared by President Rodrigo Duterte last March 19.
Capt. Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), confirmed a member of the 301st Infantry Brigade was killed after a 20-minute firefight with the Baloy Platoon of the Central Front, Kilusang Rehiyon Panay.
The casualty was identified as Private First-Class Mark Nemis of Madalag, Aklan who succumbed to fatal gunshot wound in the head.
“Unfortunately, one of our soldiers died. We are sure that there’s casualty also in the enemy but we cannot account since we have not recovered in the area,” Pancito told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Pancito said the Army troops are in the vicinity of Sitio Agilan, Panuran village to provide security to the people.
Even before the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the Army was already deployed in the area as part of the whole-of-nation-approach against insurgency.
“With the Covid-19, we are still there. We are called upon by this government. There were persistent reports that there are people from the mountains that are going down in this village, to recruit, to extort,” he said.
The Army has recovered from the rebels one M16 long magazine, ammunition, and a bag with subversive documents.
Pancito said they will be reporting the incident to the national headquarters.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Eric Vinoya, 3ID commander, condemned the treacherous act of the rebels.
“Instead of helping our people fight Covid-19 pandemic, these communist-terrorists are taking advantage of the situation to conduct atrocities distracting the Covid-19 efforts of our troops. They are the ones violating the ceasefire since they purposely left their lairs in the mountains and went down to the barangays where our troops are doing humanitarian activities,” he said in an official statement.
Despite losing a trooper, Vinoya said that the Philippine Army will remain resolute in serving the people.
“As we strengthen our Covid-19 efforts, we will also be intensifying our defensive action to protect our people from the menace of these terrorists, the true viruses of the society,” he said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1099125
Capt. Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), confirmed a member of the 301st Infantry Brigade was killed after a 20-minute firefight with the Baloy Platoon of the Central Front, Kilusang Rehiyon Panay.
The casualty was identified as Private First-Class Mark Nemis of Madalag, Aklan who succumbed to fatal gunshot wound in the head.
“Unfortunately, one of our soldiers died. We are sure that there’s casualty also in the enemy but we cannot account since we have not recovered in the area,” Pancito told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Pancito said the Army troops are in the vicinity of Sitio Agilan, Panuran village to provide security to the people.
Even before the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the Army was already deployed in the area as part of the whole-of-nation-approach against insurgency.
“With the Covid-19, we are still there. We are called upon by this government. There were persistent reports that there are people from the mountains that are going down in this village, to recruit, to extort,” he said.
The Army has recovered from the rebels one M16 long magazine, ammunition, and a bag with subversive documents.
Pancito said they will be reporting the incident to the national headquarters.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Eric Vinoya, 3ID commander, condemned the treacherous act of the rebels.
“Instead of helping our people fight Covid-19 pandemic, these communist-terrorists are taking advantage of the situation to conduct atrocities distracting the Covid-19 efforts of our troops. They are the ones violating the ceasefire since they purposely left their lairs in the mountains and went down to the barangays where our troops are doing humanitarian activities,” he said in an official statement.
Despite losing a trooper, Vinoya said that the Philippine Army will remain resolute in serving the people.
“As we strengthen our Covid-19 efforts, we will also be intensifying our defensive action to protect our people from the menace of these terrorists, the true viruses of the society,” he said.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1099125
