ILOILO City – A member of the New People’s Army was killed in a two-day encounter with the Philippine Army’s 31st Infantry Division (31D) Reconnaissance Company in Sitio Tagbakan 1, Barangay Jayubo, Lambunao, Iloilo.
According to Lieutenant Colonel J-jay Javines, spokesperson for the 3ID, the first encounter happened on Saturday at around 7:57 a.m., while the soldiers were having offensive operations in the area.
Government troops had a five-minute encounter with five members of the Central Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay.
Javines said their soldiers and augmentation forces conducted a manhunt operation against the fleeing rebels.
On Sunday morning, at around 8 a.m., the soldiers were able to recover the body of the still-unidentified rebel. A 12-gauge shotgun was also found with the body.
“As of now, we have yet to identify a cadaver. No one was wounded in the government forces. Our men are still in the area for a manhunt operation,” Javines said.
Other recoveries included one bandolier with five M16 magazines and one backpack with personal belongings and subversive documents.
This was the second encounter in the same village this year.
On Sept. 19, a soldier died while another was wounded in an encounter with the same group.
Both soldiers are from the Philippine Army’s 82nd Infantry Battalion.
On the other hand, Major General Marion Sison, 3ID commander, expressed his sympathy to the family of the slain communist terrorist member, who wasted his life fighting for a senseless decade-long armed struggle.
“I don’t want another life to be lost because of false ideologies. I don’t want to see families suffer from the loss of their loved ones, especially this Christmas. I still encourage the remaining members of the rebels to surrender and be with their families, especially during this holiday season. This season is the perfect time to reunite with your loved ones who need you most,” Sison said.
He also commended the troops for another successful operation./PN
