A MINOR was killed in a series of encounters between the suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) and members of 15th Infantry Battalion in Candoni town, Negros Occidental Tuesday, May 3.
Brigadier General Leonardo Peña, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade, identified the casualty as Anthony Tecson alias "Kisap/Boyca," 16, of Sitio Maabon at Barangay Cabadiangan in Sipalay City.
Peña said Tecson is a medic of Squad 1 of the Sentro De Grabidad Platoon 2 and also a member of the Squad 2 Platoon 3 of the South Western Front-Weakened.
Wounded was Second Lieutenant Elmer Duma-og, who sustained a gunshot wound on his left arm, he said.
Peña noted that the clash happened after a concerned resident of Barangay Gatuslao informed the army about the presence of armed rebels conducting extortion activities in the area.
At that time, the soldiers were doing the re-visitation of their previously cleared barangay in preparation for the upcoming Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) by the local government unit of Candoni.
The first firefight occurred at about 5:30 p.m. at the area of Barangay Gatuslao.
It was followed by another gunbattle that took place 10 minutes later, and the last one happened about 8 p.m., the military said.
Following the gunbattles, the soldiers searched the area and found the body of Tecson, Peña noted, adding that they also recovered an M16 rifle with defaced serial number, a .45 caliber pistol, an anti-personnel mine and five short aluminum magazines of 5.56mm caliber rifle and 40 rounds ammunition of the same caliber.
The soldiers also seized four rounds of ammunitions of 7.62 caliber rifle; two magazines of .45 caliber pistol; a round of 7.62mm AK47 ammunition; five rounds ammunition of .45 caliber pistol; 22 empty shells of 5.56mm caliber rifle ammunition; three kilograms of ammonium nitrate composition, a cell phone; one commercial radio; and other subversive documents, military records showed.
Peña lauded the efforts demonstrated by the operating troops and recognized the active participation of the community for the accurate and timely information they provided.
"We are dismayed by the wasted life of a youth who was made a 'child soldier' by the CPP/NPA/NDF by poisoning the minds of their recruits in a Godless organization and meaningless armed struggle to topple down our democratic form of government," he said.
With this, Peña reiterated his appeal to all parents to protect and be watchful of their children and ensure to keep them away from the false philosophy of the NPA.
The army official stressed that they will be relentless in our campaign to help and support the national government in its campaign to eradicate and totally end the five decades of menace and terroristic activities of the Communist NPA Terrorist in the countryside.
Army intelligence reported that the killed NPA member was recruited two years ago by his own father-in-law.