By Francis Wakefield
A Communist New People's Army (NPA) terrorist was killed in an encounter with government troops in an uninhabited area in the hilly boundary of the municipalities of Talisayan and Medina, both in Misamis Oriental on Saturday, February 23.
(Jun Ryan Arañas / MANILA BULLETIN)
Four M16 rifles and an AK47 rifle were seized by government troops in the encounter site.
Soldiers and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) members of the Army's 58th Infantry Battalion were on patrol after receiving reports about the presence of armed men when they encountered the NPAs at about 10 a.m.
According to Col Edgardo De Leon, 403rd Brigade Commander that is securing Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin provinces, the information about the rebels’ presence ocation was provided by local residents.
Last February 18, 2019, a Communist revels was also killed by the Army's Special Forces in a pursuit operation in Lantapan, Bukidnon.
Brig. Gen. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commander of the Army's Fourth Infantry Division, reiterated the need to subdue the armed capability of the NPA while promoting "peaceful war" which aims at resolving the issues of conflict.
“As we embark on a peaceful war, by bringing in government services to resolve social ills in the remote communities, we have to continue our security patrols in the hinterlands so the NPA terrorists will not have the chance to disrupt our peacekeeping campaign," Gacal said.