TACLOBAN CITY - A high-ranking leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a 30-minute encounter in San Isidro town Northern Samar.
In a report by the 43rd Infantry Battalion, the troops clashed with around 60 Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs) with the aid of new military technology that pinpointed the location of the enemy in the vicinity of Barangay Happy Valley on December 21.
The clash resulted in the death of a certain alias "Apple," the Secretary of Front Committee 2, Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Emporium, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC), whose body was left behind by his retreating comrades.
No casualty was reported on the government side.
Government troops successfully overran the CNT’s lair that can accommodate more or less 60 rebels consisting of 30 bunkers, two sentinel posts, three comfort rooms, a kitchen, and a mess hall, including several firearms.
The troops also recovered a cellphone, two bottles of dextrose, and subversive documents of high intelligence value.
According to Lt. Col. Raymundo Picut Jr., Commanding Officer of the 43rd Infantry Battalion, the timely and accurate information given by the residents helped in the neutralization of the armed group responsible for the recent atrocities in Northern Samar.
“Tuloy-tuloy po ang inyong kasundalohan sa pagbabantay at pagseserbisyo sa ating mga kababayan para masigurong ligtas sa panggugulo at pangingikil ng mga NPA ngayong panahon ng kapaskuhan,” Picut said.
"Nakakalungkot lang isipin na ilang araw na lang ay sasapit na ang Pasko at may isang pamilya na nawalan ng mahal sa buhay ng dahil lang sa ipinaglalaban na maling idiolohiya. Kaya sa mga kapatid natin na nasa kilusan pa, bumaba na kayo at magbalik-loob sa gobyerno. Masarap ang mamuhay na kapiling ang pamilya," he added.