Two soldiers hurt in clash with NPA amid COVID-19 info drive

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Two military troopers of the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) were wounded after engaging in a clash with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) at Sitio Sicaba, Barangay Gawahon, Victorias City, Negros Occidental on Friday morning.

Corporals Ramy Chiefe and Louie Maghanoy are in stable condition in a hospital here.

The military and the 6th Special Action Force Battalion of the Philippine National Police (PNP) engaged in a 30-minute fire fight with the NPA while they were conducting community security patrol and information dissemination in connection with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

In a statement, Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) commander, lambasted the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA for their deliberate efforts to sabotage activities especially in disseminating health information to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the communities.

During the conduct of pursuit operation, the Army also reported four casualties on the enemy side based on the bloodstains in the area.

Authorities recovered from the encounter site some war materials including two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) with blasting caps, a bandolier with five magazines for AK47 rifle, and another bandolier with two M16 magazines with ammunition, as well as two handheld radios with accessories, two cellular phones, a binocular, compass, four jungle packs, medicines, subversive documents, and other personal belongings.

The recent clash occurred barely a week after the encounter of the 94th IB with suspected NPA at Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, which resulted in the death of three soldiers, and injuries of four others, amid the distribution of Social Amelioration Program (SAP) allowances to residents in the area on the onset of COVID-19.

Pasaporte assured the people of Negros that the Army together with the PNP and other law enforcement agencies will continue to serve its mandate of protecting the people especially against the threats from the NPAs.

“We are on top of the situation, there will be no let up on our operation against the NPAs and at the same time we will continue supporting the different local government units (LGUs) in addressing health concerns brought about by COVID-19,” he added.

Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Alvaran, 79th IB commander, said that the “troops were putting their own lives at risk in helping the people from the spread of COVID-19 while the Communist Terrorists take opportunity to violate human rights amid the crisis.”

With this, Alvaran said they will heighten security operations to capture the NPA and stop them from sowing fear in the communities.