CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Nine New People’s Army rebels were killed in a gun battle with the military in the hinterlands of Barangays Can-ayan, Kibalabag, Kulaman, and Mapulo in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, on Christmas Day.
The Philippine Army 4th Infantry Division (ID) said in a statement that the casualties — three of them amazons — have yet to be identified.
NINE communist rebels were killed in an encounter with the military in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on Christmas Day.
The 4th ID said that due to the number of communist rebels from the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee, ground forces requested close air support from the Tactical Operations Group 10 of the Philippine Air Force and artillery fire support from the 4th and 10th Field Artillery Battalions.
Brig. Gen. Michele Anayron Jr., 403rd Brigade commander, said they utilized close air and artillery fire support “to preserve our forces and prevent or minimize casualties from our troops from the initial armed encounter of land forces.”
"We also ensured the communities were not put in danger and no properties were damaged or destroyed during the operations,” he added.
4th ID spokesperson Major Francisco Garello Jr. told the Manila Bulletin that they are still validating what the NPA was doing in the area, if this is related to the Communist Party of the Philippines 55th anniversary on December 26.
The encounter happened after the CPP declared a two-day unilateral ceasefire on December 25 and 26 in line with their anniversary.
But the government did not reciprocate despite the plan to resume peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDF) to end the decades-long insurgency.
4th ID commander Major Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II said despite the ceasefire declaration, they remain focused on complying with the AFP directive to keep the communities safe and end the communist armed conflict.
“The joint operations that we launched in Bukidnon were carried out with precision and adherence to the protocols to ensure the safety of the innocent civilians. This is our strong response to the wishes of our people to free them from the continued threats of the NPA criminals,” Cuerpo said in a statement.
Apart from the casualties, the government troops also recovered four M16 rifles, one M16 attached to a M203 grenade launcher, one 12-gauge shotgun, one caliber.45 pistol, and one hand grenade.
Garello said the fatalities have yet to be brought down from the hinterlands as of posting time.
The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines have designated the CPP-NPA as a terrorist group.
The National Democratic Front was formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021 for being "an integral and inseparable part" of the CPP-NPA established in April 1973.