The Southern Luzon Command is preparing for bigger and intensive military operations against the New People’s Army to thwart and isolate the rebels from the civilian communities as the local campaign is about to start for the May 2016 polls.
Solcom chief Lieutenant General Ricardo Visaya, however, clarified that all operations will be “focused and temporary only” based on confirmed and verified intelligence operations.
“I have issued marching orders to the troops to continue the fight and hit deeper the NPA in their lairs and neutralize them. I’m optimistic that the ongoing operations will yield positive results,” Visaya said.
“Also key to the success of the operations is the cooperation of the masses,” he added.
Just last week, the NPA launched tactical operations in different parts of the Bicol region killing and wounding almost a dozen soldiers and scores of wounded.
But on Monday, government troopers also killed 3 communist fighters and recovered 8 high-powered firearms that include 2 M60 machine guns and 34 Improvised Explosive Devices in separate encounters in Camarines Sur and Oriental Mindoro.
According to 902nd Infantry Brigade commander Brigadier General Amador Tabuga, his troops had encounter an undetermined number of NPA rebels believed to be planning an attack on a military patrol base in Barangay San Rafael Norte, Lupi, Camarines Sur.
“It was a 45-minute firefight between the troops of the 49th Infantry Battalion and the rebels. Two rebels were killed, an M60 machine gun and an M16 rifle including several rounds of ammunition were recovered,” Tabuga said.
During pursuit, the soldiers recovered an M14 rifle in Barangay Belwang, Lupi. On Tuesday, the pursuing soldiers also recovered a KG9 rifle and 28 IEDs.
Another encounter by elements of the 901st Infantry Brigade under Brig. Gen. Claudio L. Yucot in Caramoan town killed a rebel and the recovery of 2 M16 rifles, a grenade launcher and 6 IEDs.
Yucot said the encounter against the rebels lasted for 15 minutes that were also joined by a squad of Cafgu Active Auxiliaries in Barangay Antolon.
Meanwhile, the clearing operations of the 203rd Infantry Brigade under Colonel Gavin Edjawan yielded an M60 machine gun in Barangay Morente in Bongabon, Oriental Mindoro.
