ILOILO CITY – The military has encountered a group of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Aklan, a province that had been declared insurgency-free more than a year ago.
Troops of the 12th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army were deployed after receiving reports about the presence of communist guerrillas in Barangay Manika in Libacao on Wednesday, June 7.
They engaged 20 NPA rebels who withdrew after a 25-minute gun battle.
Soldiers recovered two M-16 rifles, a rifle grenade, two anti-personnel mines, six magazines for AK-47 rifle, two short magazines for M-16 rifle, four NPA flags, 10 tents, backpacks, mobile phones, and subversive documents left behind by the NPA.
The Army 3rd Infantry Division (ID) lauded residents of Barangay Manika for informing them of the rebels’ presence.
"Being free from insurgency is not a sole responsibility of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), but it is a shared concern and responsibility by every member of the society. The Aklanons are doing their part for the success of this operation,” said Major Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd ID commander.
Aklan was declared insurgency free by the government in December 2021.