DESPITE the ceasefire, the military said rebels carried out extortion activities in Barangay Cuyago, Jabonga, Agusan del Norte and attacked a security patrol of the 29th Infantry Battalion who responded to the threats on Monday noon, April 13.
The clash between the two forces ensued for about five minutes.
Around 11:35 a.m. of the same day, a 15-minute encounter between government forces and more or less 18 New People's Army (NPA) rebels occurred again.
The rebels allegedly belong to the Samahang Yunit Pampropaganda-16A (SYP16A), Guerilla Front-16 (GF16), North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) under Samuel Batikan, alias "Albren."
The clash resulted in the recovery of four rolls of detonating cords (250 meters each), three magazines for AK-47 with 30 serviceable ammunitions, and assorted empty shells for AK-47 and M-16 rifles.
"The CNTs suffered heavy losses as evidence by the bloodstains in the encounter site and withdrawal route while negative casualties on the government forces," the military said.
On March 19, the government declared a unilateral ceasefire until April 15, 2020 and directed its security forces to focus its efforts and resources against the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The 4ID has suspended all its focus military operations (FMO) within its area of responsibility -- Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions, however, this does not imply that the diamond troopers will neglect its mandate in securing the community being threatened by any armed group," it said.
"Similarly, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) has ordered its armed wing, the New People's Army, to observe a unilateral ceasefire from March 26, 2020 to April 15, 2020 while the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic. This unilateral ceasefire declaration of the CPP-NPA terrorist is just for the show. The NPAs are known for their sham on previous ceasefires with the government forces. Again, today's encounter reflects the insincerity of the NPAs in their own unilateral ceasefire and deliberately fired upon the security forces who are responding to the extortion activities in the community," the military added. (PJ Orias)