TACLOBAN CITY – Six New People’s Army rebels were killed in an encounter with the 19th Infantry “Commando” Battalion in Barangay Paco, Las Navas, Northern Samar on Monday, Dec. 2.
The casualties were members of the Subregional Committee Emporium, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee under Ariel Baselga alias Poly and Aries.
A concerned civilian informed troops that a group of armed men was passing through the barangay.
Soldiers were deployed and discovered a heavily fortified NPA hideout, surrounded with prohibited anti-personnel mines.
Troops called in artillery support and engaged communist rebels for about 30 minutes.
Five male guerillas and an amazon were killed during the shelling.
Recovered in the area were two M16 rifles, two pistols, three grenades, and personal belongings.
Major Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, 8th Infantry Division commander, attributed the successful operation to the ongoing efforts to completely eliminate the NPA in the region.
"This operation is an initial step toward developing a peaceful and threat-free local election. As we all know, some political candidates have been threatened by the CTG, which has been demanding permits to campaign,” he said.
Meanwhile, two NPA rebels surrendered from the Subregional Committee Sesame to the 78th Infantry Battalion under the 8th Infantry Division in Barangay San Gabriel, Borongan City, Eastern Samar on Sunday, Dec. 1.
The surrenderers turned over high-powered firearms – an M60 light machine gun, a K3 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), two AK47 rifles, four M16, one M14, and one M4 rifle.
Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, 802nd Infantry Brigade commander, lauded troops for their professionalism and successful negotiation that led to their surrender.
"Two lives were saved from the grip of a dead ideology. It's only a matter of time before all members of SRC Sesame will be neutralized,” he said.