By Francis Wakefield
The military on Wednesday said that an undetermined number of Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army terrorists (CNTs) were killed while a communist encampment was seized following an encounter in Negros Occidental on Monday.
(MANILA BULLETIN)
It was learned that troops from the 79th Infantry Battalion under the leadership of Lt. Col. Emelito Thaddeus M. Logan were conducting a Community Support Program (CSP) to catalyze development in the area, particularly conducting researches on the local issues in the community, when they received reports from the concerned residents about the presence of the CPP-NPA Terrorists.
Logan immediately instructed and deployed his troops to conduct security patrol at Barangay Guadalupe.
While approaching in the vicinity of the barangay, they were fired upon by more or less 30 armed men believed to be remnants of CPP-NPA Terrorists, prompting the Scout Platoon to retaliate.
The firefight ensued for about 20 minutes. There were no casualties on the government side and the troops are still determining any casualties on the side of the CNTs.
Upon scouring the encounter site, the troops discovered CNT’s encampment
which could accommodate more or less 30 persons with two kitchens. Troops recovered one Solar Panel (charging a motorcycle battery), subversive documents and CNTs belongings.
"This is a clear indication that the community is tired of the NPA Terrorists’ ruthlessness and extortion activities in the area. We are calling upon the populace to remain vigilant and report the presence and whereabouts of these terrorists to stop them from staging terror in the community," Logan said.
He also encouraged the CPP-NPA Terrorists to lay down their arms, return to the folds of the law and avai of l the government’s Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) for them to live a normal and peaceful life.