ZAMBOANGA CITY — Troops have recovered a high-powered firearm and food supplies following a clash over the weekend against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Misamis Occidental.
A ranking military official said Monday that a soldier was injured in the clash.
Maj. Gen. Roseller Murillo, Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander, said the firefight occurred around 9 a.m. Saturday in Barangay Hoyohoy, Tangub City, Misamis Occidental.
Murillo said the clash broke out while troops of the Army’s 10th Infantry Battalion, headed by Lt. Col. Ryan Severo, were conducting an onsite verification of the reported presence and harassment of residents by NPA rebels in Barangay Hoyohoy.
Murillo said the firefight lasted for about 40 minutes before the rebels fled towards the northeast direction. A soldier was slightly injured during the clash.
He said the troops have recovered an AK-47 rifle, two sacks of rice of 25 kilos each, dried fish and a backpack abandoned by the guerrillas.
“The armed confrontation between the troops and the NPAs in Misamis Occidental manifests the ever-widening support of the civilian community in totally wiping out the presence of the terrorist group in the province,” he said.
He urged the remaining NPA rebels to surrender and avail of government programs so that they can live peacefully with their families. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
