AIDED by Air Force attack helicopters, Army soldiers seized a New People’s Army (NPA) camp after a series of clashes with communist rebels in Bukidnon, the military reported yesterday.
The camp was captured in Barangay Busdi in Malaybalay City last Wednesday, a day after a firefight broke out between the two sides.
Troops from the Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion conducted a combat operation in the area last Tuesday after receiving information about the presence of some rebels in the area.
Soldiers clashed with about 15 rebels on Tuesday noon. The rebels withdrew after a 13-minute exchange of fire, leaving war materiel and personal belongings.
Pursuing troops caught up with the retreating rebels in the same barangay the following morning.
8th IB commander Lt. Col. Anthony Bacus said MG-520 attack helicopters provided close air support, delivering gun fires and rockets against the rebels.
“Surely, there were casualties on the enemy side,” said Bacus, noting the troops were the first to fire shots. However, no enemy bodies were recovered at the encounter.
He said the two sides were about 15 meters apart during the initial stage of the firefight, which resulted in the seizure of a rebel camp.
An AK47 rifle, three hand grenades, two improvised explosive devices, two radios, three bandoliers with ammunition, a cellular phone, a medical kit, three solar panels, two sacks of rice and rebel documents were seized in both encounters.
Bacus urged the rebels in the province to surrender, vowing the military will assist them for their integration to mainstream society through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program.
