Two New People’s Army rebels were killed while a militiaman was wounded after hostilities erupted anew, barely days after the military resumed offensive against the terrorist group after the holiday truce ended.
The killing occurred in the outskirts of Baybay City in Leyte after government troops encountered dozens of insurgents at about 10:45 p.m. Thursday, the military said.
Maj. Gen. Raul Farnacio, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, reported that a composite platoon of Scout Rangers under Lt. Edgardo Bernas Jr. were on combat mission in the vicinity of Barangay Hilapnitan when they encountered some 20 rebels.
He said the firefight lasted for almost an hour, then the rebels retreated, leaving their two comrades dead while the government suffered no casualty, the military said.
In the clearing operations, the troops recovered the two slain rebels along with an M16 rifle and an M653 rifle, before pursuing the rebels.
It was not known where the bodies were brought to.
Fighting also erupted on two fronts at the outskirts of Compostela Valley, a day after the holiday truce, wounding a militiaman following two separate rebel attacks in military post in the villages of Marapat and Cabuyoan.
Reports said the rebels hurled an Improvised Explosive Device 15 meters away from the Colapogan detachment in Sitio Colapogan at about 9 p.m. last Tuesday.
The wounded militiaman was identified as Jerick Ciel who sustained a forehead wound.
Few hours after the attack at the Colapogan post, the rebels attacked the Cabuyoan detachment, forcing the soldiers manning the post to retaliate.
After 15 minutes of fighting, the rebels withdrew.
Maj. Gen. Noel Clement, commander of the 10th Infantry Division, condemned the rebel attacks.
“We strongly condemn the atrocities done by the terrorist NPA even during while ceasefire is in effect. This incident shows that the NPA is not sincere in ending their insurgency problem,” Clement said.
“It’s about time the people unite against them so that we will have peace and development in our communities,” he urged.
