Gov't troops, rebels clash anew
Sporadic firefight continues in the hinterlands of Panay as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) intensifies its offensive operations against the members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA).
The recent clash between government troops and rebels happened in Barangay Maragobdob, San Remegio, Antique.
Major. Lyndon Sollesta, spokesperson of the Philippine Army's 3rd Infantry Division said the firefight was between some 20 armed rebels belonging to the Southern Front Committee of the NPA and the joint team of the 12th Infantry Division, Philippine Army and the 301st Reconnaissance Company based in San Remegio, Antique.
San Remegio is considered as a rebel infested area.
As of press time, the army has yet to receive reports on the number of casualty between the government troops and the rebels. Reports have it that the army is still running after the rebel group. It was believed that the same group of rebels was chanced upon by the government troops days ago in Igbaras, Iloilo.
The army also had an encounter with the rebel in Tapaz which left wounded one army corporal.
Sollesta said they have received information that the rebels wanted to conduct raid in the town hall of San Remegio. However, residents were quick enough to relay the information to the members of the Philippine Army. Barangay Maragobdob is already part of the town proper.
Sollesta stressed the rebels failed to sow fears in the town because of the help of the residents. He said even if the rebels have the mastery of the terrain they were able to contain the rebels’ movement because of the information coming from the residents.
The army’s spokesperson said they will not stop their operation until the rebels become “inhospitable” in the area. The AFP is not taking lightly their operation and remains on active defense mode for possible attacks. The clash between government troops and the rebels heightened after the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) was terminated by the government.