2 NPAs slain in clash with AFP in Agusan del Sur
CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City – Two New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists were killed while an undetermined number of other rebels were believed wounded in an encounter with government forces in Upper Road 1, Barangay Bunawan Brook, Bunawan town, Agusan del Sur province last Sunday, according to First Lt. Tere Ingente, chief of the Public Affairs Office (PAO) of the Northeastern and Northern Mindanao Fourth Infantry Division (4th ID).
Identities of the slain NPA terrorists were not immediately known, she said.
Ingente said troops from the 401st Infantry Brigade were on-patrol in the hinterlands of Barangay Bunawan Brooks when they were engaged by an undetermined number of NPA terrorists at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
“The intense fire fight lasted for about 25 minutes after which the NPAs scampered to different directions,” she said.
Ingente disclosed the encountered rebels were believed members of Platoon 2, Guerilla-Front Committee 14 (GFC 14) of the CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
Troops recovered from the encounter site two dead bodies of the NPAs, together with the three AK47 rifle and live ammunitions, she said
“The dead NPA bodies were immediately brought to the Barangay Hall of Bunawan Brook in Bunawan town of that same province for identification and proper disposition,” Ingente said.
Meanwhile, according to Col. Andres Centino, commanding officer of the 401st Brigade, the operation was a continuation of security operations being conducted by the brigade since February 14, which resulted to the series of encounters between the government troops and the NPAs belonging to the same guerilla front committee of the NEMRC.
He said due to the recent setbacks of the GFC 14 its members were now demoralized due to their wounded comrades and dwindling numbers.
“We would like to reach-out to Leonida Belarmino Sanchez, also known as Monic, the Front Secretary of Guerilla Front Committee 14 and her members to take the opportunity to heed the call of the government to go back to mainstream society, be more productive citizens again and have a chance to avail of the Comprehensive Local Integration Program (CLIP) offered by the government and be with their families,” said the 401st Brigade commander, in statement sent to The Manila Bulletin on Monday.
“This is the right time to choose the path for peace. Go back to the folds of the law now and we will wait for you,” Centino said in the statement.