THREE New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in a series of encounters with government troops in the boundary of Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur and Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, an official said Thursday.
In the first encounter, a minor was rescued after a five-minute clash on June 14 at around 2 p.m. while a Special Forces Team was conducting security operations to verify the presence of armed group foraging for food in Sitio Tibog, Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.
"Our operating troops pursued the withdrawing enemy and captured an NPA combatant at the encounter site," said 3rd Special Forces Battalion commander Lt. Col. Benedict Harvey Gernale.
Gernale said about 20 communist rebels fired upon the soldiers prompting them to fight back, later on, found out that the captured NPA is a minor.
The government troops brought the minor to the local police and later turned her over to the municipal social welfare and development office in Prosperidad for psychosocial intervention and appropriate assistance.
The identity of the rescued NPA combatant was withheld for her security, according to Gernale.
The troops seized at the encounter site black powder, blasting caps, and assorted nails, which are integral components of an anti-personnel mine.
The second encounter according to Gernale was happened on June 15, at around 2 p.m. when another Special Forces team tracked the fleeing rebels at the vicinity of Sitio New Decoy, Diatagon, Lianga.
Gernale said the NPA rebels fired at the soldiers and detonated an anti-personnel mine. An intense firefight ensued for more than 10 minutes after which the terrorists scampered and tried to evade the operating troops.
"Despite the rugged terrain and the danger from the enemy's sniper fire, our soldiers pursued the withdrawing enemy," said Gernale.
Three communist rebels, a male and two females, died in the second encounter with no casualties on the government side, said Gernale.
The fatalities were identified as Lenie Perez Rivas, 38; Willy Salinas Rodriguez, 20; and a 12-year-old minor (name withheld).
The said fatalities were all members of the Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad Southland, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
Aside from the dead bodies, several war materials were also seized, such as an AK47 rifle, 2 calibers 45 pistols, 2 anti-personnel mines, a claymore mine, magazines and ammunition, and 2 blasting caps, 25 meter-long detonating cord, and 30 meter-long electrical wire attached to a firing switch.
401st Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Allan Hambala condemned the communist rebels for recruiting minors to join their ranks.
"This incident once again proved that the CTG has no regard for human rights and they are blatantly violating the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by recruiting minors to join their senseless armed struggle," said Hambala.
Meanwhile, 4ID acting commander and Joint Task Force (JTF) Diamond Brig. Gen. Oliver T Vesliño said that concerned AFP units under JTF Diamond are pursuing the fleeing communist rebels so that justice will be served to the victims of their lies and deception.
"AFP units under JTF Diamond will continue its relentless security operations against the CTG in Caraga region to destroy the armed group, and stop its resource generation and recruitment of minors,” said Vesliño, adding that they will file cases of IHL violations against the leadership of NEMRC.
Vesliño also offered sympathies to the families of the NPA rebels killed during the skirmish as the cadavers were properly turned over by the government troops to their families in Sitio Manluy-a, Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur. Vesliño urged the remaining NPA rebels’ members to return to the folds of the law and avail of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) of the government. (Ben Balce)
