AFP: 'Rangers'Calatrava operation a response to locals'plea for help
Elite Army Rangers went into an offensive and engaged members of communist New People's Army (NPA) in a military encounter early Tuesday evening.
With one reported casualty in the NPA side, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in a press statement said several other rebels are believed to have been wounded as well.
And it was for the "protection of the masses," AFP's Captain Lowen Gil Marquez said following series of complaints and appeal for help made by the locals.
The incident occurred in Calatrava, Negros Occidental at Sitio Harvey, Barangay Minapasok. Elements of the Philippine Army's 2nd Scout Ranger Batallion under the operational control of the 3rd Infantry Spearhead Division were tasked for the job.
For weeks now, Captain Marquez disclosed, complaints of harassments and extortion reached the local AFP hierarchy. Worse still, the AFP was told, aggressive recruitment was being done in the area with minors as targets.
"Three weeks ago there has been overwhelming complaints received by the AFP on extreme extortion activity on the poor masses of Barangay Minapasok. They can no longer bear the hardships caused by these communist terrorists, deprived of their own farm produce," Captain Marquez told The News Today (TNT). "They collect weekly chicken, 2 kilos of rice and P20 per family reason why the AFP's help was sought."
The government offensive resulted to the escape of the armed communist rebels leaving behind personal belongings.
Among those recovered were farm produce believed to be the 'extorted products'like 3 sacks of rice, large canvass tent and coins amounting to P500.
"Hot pursuit operation are on-going and the AirForce helicopters are observing the entire municipality while the Navy monitors the shoreline of Calatrava," the press statement continued. "The AFP in Western Visayas conducts operation in response to the complaints of the masses."
Meantime AFP verification is underway on reported resurgence of similar harassment and extortion activities of the NPAs in Southern Iloilo. No further details were released pending additional validation made on the report.
Yet Captain Marquez re-echoes the AFP appeal for vigilance against communist abuses particularly in hinterland barangays of the region.