Insurgency threat in WV down to ‘insignificant level’, says 3ID
Without batting an eyelash, the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) declared that it has achieved its mission of reducing insurgency to an insignificant level two weeks before the deadline – June 30, 2010 – set by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
“As we approach our National Government’s mandated deadline by the end of this month, we can say that without a doubt, we in the 3rd Infantry Division have already achieved the upper hand in our campaign to reduce the threat of communist insurgency in our area of responsibility,” said 3ID spokesperson 1Lt. Mark Andrew Posadas.
The Philippine Army tasked the 3ID to dismantle all guerilla and united fronts of the communist terrorist movement (CTM) in order to establish a physically and psychologically secure environment conducive to regional economic development.
Even earlier, the 3ID has successfully declared the provinces of Aklan, Guimaras, and the majority areas of Antique as insurgency-free.
“The commitment of our soldiers in accomplishing our internal security mission is unfaltering and it shows in the positive results of our overall campaign all over Panay and Negros islands. In Panay alone, we have seen a boom in commerce and development in former insurgency-affected areas that indicates a positive shift in regional stability,” Posadas noted that, “the same situation exists in Negros Island where we observed a significant decrease in hostile Communist activity contributing to development making its way into hinterland communities who were denied access by the presence of the communist armed group (NPA) in Negros.”
Also remarkable was the support to the Army troops shown by the people in areas considered before as rebel-affected.
Along with this trust to the 3ID soldiers was the people’s show of detest to the acts of the rebels.
Posadas noted that the soldiers from the 47th Infantry (Katapatan) Battalion were able to launch an offensive against rebels in Calingo after a tip given by residents.
Led by its Executive Officer Lt. Col. Evan Bermudo, the soldiers encountered some 15-20 NPA members at Brgy. Ipil, Calinog, Iloilo Sunday afternoon.
Responding to reports of the presence of several armed men in that area, the 47IB hastily prepared a strike team to verify the sightings in the Banban, Lambunao – Ipil, Calinog complex.
“By 5:00 p.m., our soldiers were able to catch up to the NPA who were identified as belonging to the group of Communist Central Front Leader Francisco Balois aka Tonying. The first gunshots were fired by our troops against the NPA who were spotted by our soldiers preparing to move out as darkness started to creep in. A firefight soon ensued as Tonying’s group returned fire which eventually led to a running gun-battle causing the NPA to eventually flee in different directions. Our soldiers gave chase and the firefight lasted for a little over 45 minutes,” Posadas narrated.
As 4IB troops gave chase to the fleeing NPA, another group of soldiers from the same battalion scoured the area and recovered two satchels covered with blood-stains.
An improvised explosive device (IED) of the anti-personnel landmine type was also found bundled with 200 meters of detonation cord inside one of the blood-soaked satchels.
Security operations are still currently underway in the Banban-Ipil complex to flush out the fleeing communist terrorists.
“The successful conduct and result of this operation is an indicator that we are gaining ground against the Communist Terrorists in Central Panay. As soon as Tonying’s group enters the fringes of the communities of Banban and Ipil, the residents report their presence immediately to the Philippine Army allowing our soldiers to respond with lightning quickness,” commented Colonel Tyne Bañas, the Commander of the 47th (Katapatan) Battalion based in Camp Carreon, Calinog, Iloilo.
In a statement to media about the incident, 1LT Rey Balibagaso, the civil military operations continued the Army’s call on the group of alias Tonying to lay down their arms and peacefully turn themselves over to government authorities.
“If they turn themselves in they will receive appropriate medical treatment for their wounded but of course they must also face the full force of the law,” he added.
Balibago stated that it would be inhumane of them to continue “to allow their wounded to bleed to death and be thrown into a shallow grave like what they did to that poor chap from a previous encounter in Lambunao some years back.”
