via Eunice Samonte
CAMP MELCHOR F DELA CRUZ, Upi, Gamu, Isabela – The 54th Infantry Battalion (54IB) based in Ifugao, overran another Communist Terrorists/ New People’s Army (NPA) camp at Sitio Galindungan, Brgy. Dango, Tinoc, Ifugao on the morning of July 10, 2017.
The firefight that lasted for 25 minutes had forced the enemy to abandon their camp and ran towards different directions, leaving behind two (2) M16 Armalite and one (1) M14 rifles, assorted war materiel, medical paraphernalia, and personal belongings of the NPAs.
No casualty on the government side was recorded while the troops are still verifying on the side of the enemy. The said camp has an estimated land area of 500 square meters with 38 tents and four makeshift structures.
According to Lt. Col. Nicolas Quemado Jr., Commander of 54IB, he launched operations in order to pre-empt the NPA from conducting their terroristic plans in the province of Ifugao. “Based on the information from civilians in the area, this group of NPA are preparing to conduct another atrocity when they were encountered by our operating troops,” LTC Quemado said.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Paul T. Atal, D.P.A. AFP, the Commander of 5ID, commended the operating troops of 54IB for their accomplishment. “I commend the whole 54IB for their new accomplishment. This effort once again proved your superiority against the enemy in your area of operation.” MGen. Atal said. “While the NPA are intensifying their terroristic acts against the peace-loving people of Ifugao and the Cordillera, we will always be ready to protect the people against the NPA and we will not fail them,” Atal added.
Last February 2017, it was the same unit who overran a NPA camp in Brgy. Namal, Asipulo of same province leading to the recovery of High Powered Firearms and the wounding of a certain Dra. Ana Marie Leung.
The 5th Infantry Division will continue its thrust in protecting the people of Cordillera in order to have a just and lasting peace in the area.
