Police probe eight civilians nabbed at the encounter site between red fighters, army

By BEN SERRANO,
Correspondent

BUTUAN CITY – Authorities are now investigating eight civilians –– three males and five females –– who were caught by government troopers at the encounter site in Sitio Tud-ol, Barangay Manila De Bugabos, Butuan City on Tuesday morning.

Police Supt. Chito Bersa-luna, battalion commander of the National Police – Caraga Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) claimed that during their clearing operations after a fierce encounter, his men noticed the eight civilians in the encounter area.

According to Bersaluna, recovered from the possessions of the eight civilians were instructional materials like chalks for teaching, which he posited could have been used in the underground movement.

The civilians however denied the accusations of the police and the military.

It can be recalled in Surigao del Sur, lumad group Kahugpongan Sa Lumadnong Organisasyon (Kasalo) accused the authorities of allegedly forcing the lumads –– by duress, some allegedly through torture –– into confessing they are members of the New People’s Army.

The military on the other hand denied the allegations.

Authorities claimed they are still withholding identities of the suspects since some of them are still minors.

Meanwhile, Bersaluna said they are still conducting background investigations of the eight on whether they are new member recruits of the New People’s Army or regular members.

Bersaluna claimed that his men recovered from the encounter scene two .45 caliber pistols with magazines and ammunition, two bandoliers with six magazines and caliber 5.56 mm ammunition, medical kit with medicines and subversive documents from the encounter site.

According to Bersaluna prior to the discovery of the eight civilians at the encounter area, firefight broke out past 8:00 a.m. Tuesday between New People’s Army rebels and the joint operatives of the Regional Public Safety Battalion 13 and Butuan City Public Safety Company after allegedly government troopers were fired upon by the rebels.

On that same day and almost same time, in Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, a fierce armed encounter also took place between NPA rebels and government troopers killing a member of the Mamanwa tribal group.

It can be recalled that a day before the twin encounters between NPA rebels and government troopers, on March 14, Monday, the communist guerrillas attacked a company of special forces hours after the PNP and military publicly declared the entire Agusan del Norte province to be “conflict manageable” area.