MALAYBALAY CITY – Soldiers belonging to the Army’s 88th Infantry “Maringal” Battalion recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) following two separate encounters with rebels in the hinterland village of Magkalungay in San Fernando, Bukidnon.
Capt. Norven Jay Garcia, 88IB civil-military operations officer, said Wednesday that government troops encountered remnants of Guerilla Front 6 of the New People’s Army (NPA) on Monday and Tuesday.
Aside from the recovered IED, soldiers also seized detonating cord, a jungle hammock, three empty gas containers, and other personal effects belonging to the rebels.
Garcia said no one was hurt on the government side but they believed the retreating rebels suffered an undetermined number of injuries or casualties.
Soldiers conducted combat patrols in the area after residents informed the military about the presence of NPA rebels, who were allegedly conducting extortion activities.
Lt. Col. Randy Remonte, 88IB commanding officer, said the latest firefights are proof that rebels can no longer reconnect to their lost mass bases after “their supporters completely turned their backs on them”.
Remonte called on the rebels to join their former comrades who have returned to the folds of the law and received economic assistance from the government.
San Fernando, a first-class municipality located in the eastern part of Bukidnon bordering Davao del Norte, is part of the second legislative district of Bukidnon. (Mel Madera/NPA)
