THREE New People’s Army (NPA) rebels died in a series of clashes with government troops last Sunday in Batangas, which had been declared as insurgency-free three years ago.
Troops from the Army’s 59th Infantry Battalion were conducting a security operation when they were fired upon by the rebels in Barangay Acle in Tuy. The initial fight lasted for about 10 minutes.
Pursuing troops caught up with the retreating rebels in nearby Barangay Bolboc, leading to another firefight.
“Two males and another female terrorist (rebels) died during the encounters while the government recorded no casualty,” Lt. Col. Jeffrex Molina, spokesman of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, said in a statement.
Molina said soldiers recovered an M16 rifle, an Uzi rifle, an R4 rifle, and an improvised hand grenade.
“The latest clash is part of the ongoing intensified security operations against the terrorists in Southern Luzon, aiming to dismantle the remaining strongholds of the communist insurgents and restore lasting peace in the area,” said Molina.
He said 2nd ID commander Maj. Gen. Roberto Capulong expressed his sincere condolences to the families of the slain rebels.
Molina said the military does not rejoice in the death of their fellow Filipinos but “soldiers have a duty to uphold in protecting the people and ensuring a peaceful environment for the communities.”
The 2nd ID reiterated its call to the remaining rebels to surrender and avail of the government’s program for their integration into mainstream society.
Batangas was declared as insurgency-free in March 2021.
Several skirmishes occurred between the rebels and soldiers in the province after that, one of them occurring in Balayan in December last year that left six insurgents and a soldier dead.
Last March 26, a female NPA leader and two of her men also died in another encounter with government troops in the town of Rosario.
