ANOTHER New People's Army (NPA) rebel died over the weekend in an encounter against soldiers in the boundary of Talisayan and Medina towns in Misamis Oriental.
Government troops seized from the rebels five high-powered firearms, which include four M16 rifles and one AK47 rifle, last Saturday, February 23.
Pursuit operation against the rebels was ongoing Monday, February 25.
The rebels were believed to be members of PPH Platoon of Felot, SRC1 led by a certain "Dallas."
“Our relentless operations in the remote areas are meant to drive the NPA terrorists away from communities so their imposition of permit-to-campaign and permit-to-win fees on candidates for the upcoming elections will be ineffective and useless” said Lieutenant Col Roy Derilo, 58th Infantry Battalion commander.
Last February 18, an NPA member was also killed during pursuit operations by Army's Special Forces in Lantapan, Bukidnon.
The Army was able to locate the rebels through the help of the locals.
“Civilians are tipping off precise locations of NPA terrorist hideouts and their activities as they declare the CPP-NPA as 'persona non grata' or undesirable people not welcome in their communities,” said Colonel Edgardo De Leon, 403rd Brigade commander that is securing Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental and Camiguin provinces.
“As we embark on a peaceful war, by bringing in government services to resolve social ills in the remote communities, we have to continue our security patrols in the hinterlands so the NPA terrorists will not have the chance to disrupt our peacekeeping campaign,” 4th Infantry Division Commander Brigadier General Franco Nemesio Gacal said.