Army, Reds clash anew in Tapaz town

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Another armed encounter happened anew at Tapaz, Capiz between members of the Philippine Army’s 12th Infantry Battalion (IB) and the New People’s Army (NPA) morning of Sept. 13, 2020.

No one was hurt on the government side as the 61st IB soldiers engaged the rebels in a 10-minute firefight at Sitio Bidang, Barangay Siya around 9:00 a.m. of Sunday.

Major Cenon Pancito III, 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson, said the troops are still scouting the area to determine if there were rebels who got hurt.

Prior to the encounter, the soldiers received a tip from residents about the rebels’ presence in the area.

The 12IB troops were informed that the rebels were allegedly conducting extortion and recruitment activities.

Recovered from the encounter site were a caliber .38 revolver, a homemade 12-gauge shotgun, a machete with the NPA logo, a black shirt with NPA logo, three empty cartridges of 5.56mm ammunitions, and two empty shells of caliber .38 ammunitions.

“The relentless effort to go after the NPAs is part of our general strategy to push the pressure against their group. With such strategy, we make them always on the run, forcing them to abandon their extortion, recruitment and other illegal activities in the vulnerable communities,” Pancito said.

With soldiers hitting the rebels in precision, the 3ID spokesperson said that it is a clear manifestation that the information gathered from the people is always reliable.

“And we intend to pursue them until they are rendered irrelevant,” he said.

Pancito reiterated the government’s call to NPA fighters to surrender as they cannot win their fight against the government.

“Our forces and resources are mightier than them. May their realization come earlier than the next encounter as their luck may have significantly diminished. The people, whom you have championed have already spoken, they want peace. Head on to the clamor of the people to abandon the armed struggle as it will not bring you to something good but only death,” Pancito said.

On June 21, an encounter also happened in Tapaz town.

A soldier was slightly wounded following the clash at Sitio Tina, Barangay Tacayan.