ILOILO CITY – The Philippine Army has neutralized 14 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Western and Central Visayas in the fourth quarter of this year.
In a report presented during the Joint Intelligence Army-Police Intelligence Committee, the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) said five NPA rebels were killed and nine have surrendered since September.
A BODY bag containing a slain New People’s Army (NPA) rebel is offloaded from a Philippine Air Force helicopter. Three NPA rebels were killed in a September 29, 2023 clash with the 61st Infantry Battalion in Leon town, Iloilo province. (Army 3rd ID)
The report also said that 58 active militias or mass supporters renounced their support to the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Soldiers engaged in 11 encounters and seized 23 assorted firearms.
A major engagement was the October 17 clash with the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) in EB Magalona town, Negros Occidental province where five NPA rebels were killed and five high-powered firearms were seized.
Three NPA rebels were killed in a clash with the 61st IB in Leon town, Iloilo province on September 29.
Major Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd ID commanding general, attributed the accomplishment to strong intelligence gathering and the support of the people.
Sison said the troops should not rest on its laurels with more than a month left in the year.
He warned that there may be more offensives planned with the holiday season and the CCP is set to commemorate its founding anniversary on December 26. “We should not be complacent. We should be prepared to prevent any atrocities,” Sison said.