3 NPA rebels surrender to military forces in Davao del Sur

Three New People’s Army fighters voluntarily surrendered to the 39th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army in Bansalan, Davao del Sur Friday.

Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said the rebels also surrendered three high-powered firearms consisting of one M-14 automatic rifle and two M-16 rifles.

The surrenderees are all active members of the NPA’s Front 51, SMRC operating in the areas of Davao del Sur and Makilala, North Cotabato.

Zagala said that the three are now undergoing custodial debriefing at the 39th Infantry Battalion headquarters in Barangay Tuban, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur.

He added that the surrendered rebels requested that the AFP withhold their identities for fear of retaliation by their former comrades in the NPA.

On the other hand, the military sees the surrender as an act of progress, knowing that not all members of the NPAs believe in their leaders’ hard-line stance on armed violence as means to achieve their goals.


"Their reasons for joining the communist movement might have been legitimate ones but after almost two decades of armed struggle, they have not realized that joining a group which causes only violence against our people isn't the answer," Zagala stressed.

Article Source: PNA

3 NPA rebels killed in Sarangani-Davao Sur border clash

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Three suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed while several others were believed wounded in an encounter with government troops over the weekend in the mountainous boundaries of Sarangani and Davao del Sur provinces.

Lt. Col. Adolfo Espuelas Jr., commanding officer of the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion, said the clash occurred after they responded on Saturday morning to reports on the presence of NPA rebels in villages situated along the boundaries of Malapatan town in Sarangani and Jose Abad Santos in Davao del Sur.

He said their troops caught up with around 25 heavily-armed rebels in Sitio Datal D'lag, Barangay Kulaman of Jose Abad Santos town, where a two-hour firefight ensued.

“We sent our troops to the area to address complaints from tribal residents there that a group of NPA rebels had been reportedly harassing, extorting and forcing them to attend their lectures,” Espuelas said.

After the encounter, the official said they recovered the bodies of three NPA rebels who were only identified by local residents through aliases Marvin, Bobong and Berting.

An undetermined number of rebels were supposedly wounded during the clash as claimed by local residents, Espuelas said.

He said they recovered two M14 rifles, an M16 Armalite rifle, a handheld radio and assorted bullets from the slain rebels.

There were no casualties on the government side, he added.

Citing results of their initial verification, Espuelas said aliases Marvin and Bobong were allegedly team leaders of Squads 1 and 2, respectively, of the “Sentro de Grabidad Andoy” of the NPA’s Front 71 headed by Kumander Brigol.

As of Monday morning, he said no one had come forward to claim the remains of the slain rebels, who were brought to this city late Saturday by a Philippine Air Force chopper.

Espuelas said their troops are currently conducting follow-up operations in a bid to clear the area of the NPA’s presence.

He said the Army’s 1002nd Infantry Brigade based in Malungon town has sent additional troopers under its Task Force Mulawin to augment the clearing operations.

The task force was created earlier this month as part of the renewed operations launched by the 1002nd Brigade against NPA rebels who had taken refuge in upland villages of Malungon town in Sarangani. 

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Philippine News Agency/InterAksyon.Com | June 25, 2012 | Article Link

Govt Troops Foiled NPA Attack; 4 NPAs, 1 Cafgu killed

CAMP PANACAN, Davao City- Government troops foiled the attack of more or less 30 Organized Crime Group - New People’s Army (OCG-NPA) in an encounter that transpired at about 1:45 pm on Wednesday, April 25, 2012.

 

 27^th Infantry Battalion disclosed that the OCG-NPAs were on board one hijacked forward truck when they attacked Talusob Detachment in Brgy. Bacungan, Magsaysay, Davao del Sur.

 

According to Lt. Col. Alexis Bravo, Commander of 27^th IB, government troops have defended well and were not discouraged to fight back during the encounter. The fire fight lasted for 45 minutes.

 “The failed attack is an indication that these OCG-NPAs continue to weaken and now losing their mass base support,” Bravo said. 

He also lauded the Cafgu members who repulsed the attack despite being outnumbered. “We commend our troops’ courage and valor,” Bravo added who has operational jurisdiction in the said area. 

One Cafgu, CAA Leonardo Cainglet, was killed in action (KIA) while one Cafgu, identified as Dionato Obias, was slightly wounded on the said attack.

Bravo also revealed that the OCG-NPAs left two of their dead companions while two more comrades were dead as reported by local residents. He added that after the failed attack, the OCG-NPAs withdrew and abducted five local residents of Brgy. San Miguel, adjacent barangay of Bacungan all of Magsaysay, Davao del Sur, as their human shield and carrier of the wounded NPA. While one horse of a local resident of said barangay was also used as carrier. Bravo identified the victims as Vicente Bunal, Jolly Paimalan, Elmer Entes, Rhyan Banua and Pablo Butaya. 

The government troops were able to recover one M14 rifle, one USAS 12 gauge shotgun, fragmentation grenade, assorted ammunitions and twenty backpacks. 

 “We will give appropriate awards and benefits to our casualties and we will be more determined to implement our genuine Peace and Development efforts as our commitment to the community who are vulnerable to OCG-NPA criminalities”, Bravo said. 

According to 1002^nd Brigade Commander, Col. Glorioso V. Miranda, this violent action by the lawless armed group was aimed at intimidating the civilians who are supportive of the presence of 27^th IB peace and development teams in their barangay. 

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10cmobn10id | 10th Infantry Division, Philippine Army | April 26, 2012 | Article Link

NPA rebels torch road building equipment in Davao Sur

BANSALAN, Davao del Sur—A group of armed men claiming to be members of the New People’s Army set on fire heavy equipment owned by a Chinese road construction company here on Friday, the police said Saturday.

Senior Inspector Milgrace Driz, Bansalan police chief, said the armed men arrived in Barangay Dolo around 2 p.m. Friday and declared they were NPA guerrillas.  They then doused a backhoe owned by CNQC-Quingjian Group of Companies, which is rehabilitating the Bansalan-Kidapawan national highway, with gasoline and set it on fire.

It was the second attack on the Chinese construction company.

In November, NPA rebels also burned road-building equipment owned by the company.

Driz said the attacks on CNQC-Quingjiang might have been due to the rebels’ failure to extort money from the company.

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Orlando B. Dinoy | Inquirer Mindanao | March 31, 2012 | Article Link

Rebel attack wounds man

A MAN was wounded during a New People's Army (NPA) attack at the boundary of Davao del Sur and Sarangani Province on Sunday night.

Colonel Adolfo Espelas, chief of the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion, identified the wounded victim as Allan Moda, who was hit in his upper torso.

It was learned that more than 20 NPA men started firing their weapons in sitio Makalong and sitio Danao, Barangay Lutay, Malungon, at the boundary of sitio Danwata, Malita, Davao del Sur, around 7 p.m.

Espuelas believes the attack is to mark the 40th day after one of its commander died in an encounter with the 73rd IB last January 30.

The attack was reportedly led by Kumander Lucas of Platoon Lawin, Guerilla Front 71 of the NPA.

The victim, who was brought to Malungon District Hospital, is now declared out of danger.

Espuelas has deployed more troops in the area to provide security to residents.

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Edgardo Fuerzas | SunStar.Com.Ph | March 12,2012 | Article Link