AN ALLEGED fighter of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) was killed in an encounter with the troops of the 94th Infantry Battalion at the vicinity of Sitio Bugo, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on May 26, 2021.
The encounter happened around 3:30 PM while the troops were conducting combat operations in response to the reports of the civilian populace on the presence of more or less seven armed NPAs in the area.
The firefight ensued for about ten minutes. The enemies immediately withdrew towards Cabadiangan creek. No casualty on the government side.
Aside from the dead body of a communist-terrorist, the troops also seized from the encounter site one M1 Carbine Rifle, two Caliber .357 pistols, and personal belongings.
Major General Eric Vinoya, commander of the 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division, attributed another successful military operation to the strong will of the peace-loving people, local government units (LGUs), and local officials in protecting their community from the communist terrorists.
"The LGUs with the support of the local populace are now taking the lead in safeguarding their communities from the barbarities of these NPAs. They are very cooperative with our soldiers, for they are longing for peaceful Negros. As such their Army will be relentless in pursuing these terrorists until the genuine peace is achieved and the development is progressing for the good of each and every Negrense," Vinoya said.
For his part, Lieutenant General Roberto Ancan, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command, congratulated the 94IB for the successful operation that prevented the communist-terrorist from harming civilians. He also thanked the local populace, LGUs, and stakeholders for the overwhelming support to the soldiers that led to the said victory.
"I would like to congratulate the Joint Task Force Spear through its 94IB for a job well done. Your bravery and hard work inspire the Negrenses to unite and stand against the cruelty of the communist terrorists. I am confident that we can win this fight with the people and LGUs on our side," Ancan said.