An unidentified female member of the New People’s Army was killed during an encounter with government troops on Sunday, Jan. 26, in Loreto, Agusan del Sur.
Maj. Edson Abello, the Civil-Military Operations officer of 1001st Infantry Brigade, said the encounter was the result of the military offensives launched by soldiers after receiving information on the presence of communist guerrillas in the area.
The encounter took place at around 4:30 a.m. at the boundary of the towns of Lapaz and Loreto, both of Agusan del Sur, involving the 60th Infantry Battalion and an undetermined number of NPAs believed to be members of Guerilla Front 3, Pulang Bagani Company 4, Sub-Regional Committee 4, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.
After the firefight, the troops recovered the body of the female guerrilla who was abandoned by his comrades. They also found one AK-47 rifle, five kilograms of anti-personnel improvised explosive device, two improvised grenades, two handheld commercial radios, one damaged M16 rifle, two M203 live ammunition, more or less P50,000, assorted medical supplies, five sacks of rice, two flashlights, one wet battery cell, a solar panel, and personal belongings.
Col. John V. Oberio, commander of the 1001st IB, urged the remaining NPA members to come down and surrender.
“We do not endeavor to collect dead bodies as this armed struggle is an exercise of futility. Now is the right time to surrender and avail of the Enhanced-Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government,” he said.
He also said that the government, under President Rodrigo Duterte, is doing its very best to provide the basic services that all Filipino people deserve.
Meanwhile, Vice Mayor Randolph Plaza of Loreto praised the soldiers for helping drive away the NPA from their town. He said once the communities are peaceful, the investors can now come in to help develop the countrysides.
