NPAs laugh off army's victory claim on seized rebel camp
Much ado about nothing.
Such was the official reaction from the hierarchy of the local Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) on a successful government operation that managed to overrun an NPA training ground in Southern Iloilo.
Declaring that the fight is not yet over while vowing to strengthen their offensives, the communist terrorist group in a statement sent to The News Today (TNT) downplayed the Army attack in the town of Igbaras. And the rebel forces were allegedly on the advantage prior to the incident, the statement continued, with an earlier encounter that supposedly left two government agents injured.
What really happened, the NPAs claimed, was that Army troopers under the 79th Infantry Batallion were purportedly "harassed" and allegedly left helpless by the rebels. In fact, two Army helicopters came to provide augmentation to the government group but failed to land in the area of the encounter.
As for the Army take-over of the NPA lair in Sitio Tangyan, Barangay Pasi, the NPAs said the decision to flee the premises was a "normal" decision given the guerilla-type of warfare.
To recall, highly subversive documents were found scattered in the main bunk of the training ground with a CPP-NPA flag also left hanging on the wall. Based on a number of personal belongings and NPA documents recovered in the seized rebel terrorist camp, Army officials said the rebels' escape was done in a harried manner.
No mention of the recovered NPA items was made in the NPA statement as it further failed to address the Army's disclosure that civilian tipsters led the troops to the actual terrorist camp.
On the contrary, the rebels claimed massive support of the locals on their armed struggle dubbed "Oplan Bantay Laya."
The statement was signed by an alias Ariston Remus, supposed spokesperson of the Napoleon Tumagtang Command, NPA Southern Panay.
Asked for his reaction on the NPA statement, Maj. Gen. Victor Ibrado, commanding general of 3rd Infantry Division Philippine Army, in a chance interview with the media at Camp Delgado last week said: That's their usual reaction when the government troops score against them.
The army take-over of the terrorist camp validated months of intelligence work in Southern Iloilo with Igbaras since identified as haven and training ground of communist rebels. Believed to have been in place for at least a month, the camp was equipped with security perimeter ground, a tunnel for the sniper, numerous foxholes, bunks and had two power generator sets.
Among the trainees were teen-recruits believed to be students based in Iloilo City. Massive recruitment is done by the legal fronts of the CPP here with the immersion done in hinterland barangays claimed by the group as "NPA-strongholds."
The Army vowed no let-up on the insurgency drive with the fresh Army graduates on the job and on the prowl for the communist terrorists operating in Southern Iloilo and the Province of Antique.