ILOILO City – The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) has issued an ultimatum to the remaining remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) to surrender or be killed.
This comes after the recent series of encounters between the government troops and the rebels in the municipality of Tapaz in Capiz.
Major General Michael Samson, 3ID commander, said a maximum number of soldiers were deployed to zero in the rebels’ areas of escape as the Army continues to intensify their combat operations.
“We encourage them to surrender to avoid the possibility to be a casualty because we will continue to intensify our combat operations. The best option for the rebels is to surrender now and do not engage with us to avoid death. As what I have said, we don’t want to kill, but if our men are in danger, we have no choice but to fight them,” Samson added.
The latest clash in Barangay Lahug, Tapaz town on September 13 resulted to the death of a female remnant of the communist terrorist group.
The Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) identified the fatality as Christine May Capaducio, also known by her aliases “Sheryl” and “Puday”, a resident of Barangay Carara-an, Leon, Iloilo. She was a member of the Central Front and Regional Sentro de Grabidad, Komiteng Rehiyon–Panay (KR-P).
Soldiers of the 61IB also recovered Capaducio’s M16 armalite rifle beside her body after a firefight.
The said clash was the fifth encounter in Tapaz in just two months. On August 22, government troops clashed with rebels in barangays Agpalali, Artuz, and Tabon, where a soldier was wounded. On August 25, another encounter in Barangay Agpalali resulted in the death of Sgt. Jhon Ray Coopera of the 12IB, a native of Barangay Bitoon, Jaro, Iloilo City, while casualties on the rebel side remain unconfirmed./PN
