ILOILO City – A Philippine Army soldier was wounded in an encounter between the government troops and the New People’s Army at the tri-boundary of barangays Agpalali, Artuz, and Tabon in Tapaz, Capiz, on Friday, August 22.
The Army has yet to release the name of the soldier with a rank of Private. He sustained a minor shrapnel wound to the left shoulder and is currently in stable condition.
The government troops also seized five high-powered firearms during the series of encounters against the remnants of the Central Front (CF) and Regional Sentro de Grabidad (RSDG) of the Komiteng Rehiyon–Panay (KR-Panay).
According to the Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division (3ID), the clash first occurred at around 2 a.m. in Barangay Artuz.
Seven hours later, at 9:27 a.m. another clash took place in Barangay Agpalali. Troops of the Army’s 12th Infantry Battalion (12IB) encountered around 10 members of the same rebel groups during a follow-up operation.
The encounter lasted for about 20 minutes. Seized from the site were two M14 assault rifles, one M16 assault rifle, one AK-47 assault rifle, and one garand rifle.
The third encounter occurred six hours after in Sitio Bagacay, Barangay Tabon, where the said soldier was wounded.
Major General Michael Samson, 3ID commander, lauded the successful joint operations of the 3ID, 12IB, and the Philippine Air Force.
He also commended the vigilance of local communities, whose timely reports and cooperation were instrumental in the mission’s success.
“The seizure of these high-powered firearms further weakens the already dwindling capability of the remnants of the rebels in Panay. This is a clear manifestation of the people’s growing rejection of their terroristic acts and deceptive propaganda. Rest assured, your Army will remain relentless in our pursuit to achieve lasting peace in Western Visayas,” Samson said.
He added: “As we continue our focused military operations, I urge all rebels remnants to lay down their arms and embrace the path of reconciliation. The government’s Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and Amnesty Program remain open to those who choose peace over violence. Let us not waste another life in pursuit of a lost cause.”/PN
