Central Visayas, April 4 (PIA) ---
Armed Forces of the Philippines –Central Command (AFP-CentCom) reported an
encounter between the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and
some NPA rebels, 6:30 a.m. (April 3) with two rebels killed and one wounded at
Barangay Balayong, Pamplona, Negros Oriental. The wounded rebel is yet
to be indentified.
AFP-CentCom also reported that while the
platoon minus of Charlie Company, led by 1LT John Tumamao of the Philippine
Army conducted security operations in the area, the troops recovered five high
powered firearms (HPAs), all M16 rifles.
In a press release CentCom information
officer Navy Lieutenant Jim Aris Alagao said “We extend our deepest sympathies
to the families and friends of those killed. It is tragic that they have taken
arms against the Filipino nation when the people understand that only through
peace can development and social justice be attained.”
In the same report CentCom Commander
Major General John Bonafos, disclosed, this encounter is a government
initiated security operation to ensure that the state of normalization in the
Province of Negros Oriental and to convince other NPA armed groups to lay down
their arms and return to the mainstream society.
"Our government has an Integration
Program to those armed groups who would want to live a normal life,” Bonafos
added.
The encounter also proved that the local
residents do not want to go back to the situation where they are always living
in fear and intimidation from the armed group of the NPA, Bonafos said.
AFP-Centcom said that at present
helicopters of the Philippine Air Force’s 2nd Air Division are on standby
to support the operation of the Army troops.
Lt. Alagao updated that one M653
grenade launcher was also found in the area aside from the five high powered
firearms. (mbcn/AYS/PIA7/ with reports from LT Jim Aris V. Alagao PN,
CentCom Chief Public Information Officer)