3 NPA rebels killed, 3 others captured in Batangas encounter
Camp Nakar, Lucena City - Government forces belonging to the Philippine
Air Force (PAF) Combat Group encounter more or less 20 NPA terrorists in
Sitio Tagusan, Barangay Mabayabas, Taysan, Batangas at around 4:30 a.m.
today.
LTC Arnel L Villareal, Commander 740th Combat Group said that a section
minus of 740th Combat Group, PAF led by 2Lt Sanjhan Panding, was
responding to the information received from the residents of said place
reporting the presence of the armed CTs. Upon arrival, while the troops
are conducting security patrol at the vicinity, they were fired upon by
the terrorists hiding inside the house of spouses Dominga Buela Capina,
and Mr Loreto Capena. Also, inside the house were their six (6)
children.
LTC Villareal further said that the troops under 2LT Panding held their
fires for fear of the hitting Capena family who were inside the house.
The negotiation failed but the troops were able to secure the release of
the whole family before firefight broke out between the NPA and
government forces. The encounter resulted to 3 killed and 1 wounded on
NPA and 2 captured. Recovered from the enemy are 1M653 (baby armalite)
with M203, 4 M16 Rifles, 2 cal 45 pistols, 2 hand held radios, 5 rifle
grenades, 6 man packs, assorted number of ammunitions, cell phones, and
voluminous subversive documents.
COL Bolina, SOLCOM spokesperson citing report from Commander 2nd
Infantry Division, MGEN Jorge V Segovia, identified the slain rebels as
@ Dandan, CTs team leader, Charito Bautista @ Ada/jopen, the group
medical officer, and certain @ Randy. The wounded NPA is an amazona who
sustained slight wound on the head identified as @ Sandra and was
declared out of danger.
The two (2) captured NPAs are identified as Romy Canete @miro, 17 yrs
old from Culiat Quezon City, and Ronilo A Baes @ eugene, 19 yrs old from
Sitio Calabasahan San juan Batangas.
The encounter also resulted to the wounding of one trooper identified as
A1C Michael S. Lalog and was brought to Malaluan Hospital for medical
treatment. He sustained wound on his abdomen but was declared stable.
The CTs withdrew east of the encounter site.
Troops of 22DRC from 202nd Infantry Brigade is on the way for pursuit
operation.
The engaged troopers was reinforced by V-150 armored carrier personnel
led by Ltc Arnel L Villareal from 740th CG, PAF at the encounter site,
while troops from 744th Combat Squadron conducted supporting operation
in Brgy Tilambo, Rosario, Batangas and eventually linked up with the
encountered troops.
LtGen Roland M. Detabali, commander SOLCOM deplored the tactics of the
NPA for their total disregard of the civilians by hiding to their houses
and exposing them to danger from both opposing fires. The tactics aim is
at the end is to put blames on the government forces for civilian
casualties.
Gen Detabali further praised the troops for not falling to the old dirty
tricks of NPA and for the initiative to secure the lives of the local
people.
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