THE military on Tuesday said it foiled a plan of the communist New People’s Army to stage a landmine attack in San Agustin town, Surigao del Sur.
1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo Punsalan, civil military operations officer of the Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion, said soldiers were sent to Sitio Sparcoot in Barangay Gata on Sunday after the military received reports that the communist rebels “are laying improvised landmines along farm trails which can both be dangerous for government troops and civilians.”
A 10-minute firefight between the troops and the rebels ensued. During clearing operations, the troops recovered at the scene four anti-personnel landmines, an AK-47 magazine with ammunition, and documents, said Punsalan.
The communists are supposed to be observing an extended ceasefire until April 30, which they declared in response to a call of the United Nations for a global ceasefire amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The government observed its own ceasefire from March 19 to April 15. There is still no word if the government will declare another truce amid the continuing pandemic.
“We all know that time and again, the communist NPA terrorists violate any ceasefire agreement. The definition of ceasefire for them is a deceptive means to prepare and buy time for future terrorist attacks,” said Lt. Col. Joey Baybaran, 3rd SFB commander.
