By Jennifer P. Rendon
A soldier was hurt in a recent encounter between Philippine Army troops and members of the New People’s Army afternoon of February 18, 2021 in San Joaquin, Iloilo.
The 3rd Infantry Division did not name the wounded in action (WIA) personnel, except that he was a Private First Class (PFC).
Major Cenon Pancito III, 3rd ID spokesman, said the soldier suffered minor injuries on his chest and upper portion of his right arm.
Members of the 79th Infantry Battalion, under the operational control of the 61st IB, were doing house-to-house visitation when they chanced upon 10 rebels belonging to the Suyak (SDG) Platoon of the NPA Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay (KR-P) Southern Front at Barangay Iglilico, San Joaquin.
The area is around 12 kilometers of rough terrain from the town of San Joaquin. It sits on the boundary of San Joaquin and Hamtic town, Antique.
The group was led by Joven Ceralvo alias Lex.
The gun battle lasted for about 30 minutes before the rebels withdrew towards the southwest direction.
Pancito is not discounting the possibility that some rebels were also injured.
It was gathered that the house-to-house visitation was part of the Army’s Community Support Program (CSP).
Late last month, the Philippine Army and several local government units in Iloilo sent CSP teams to villages in Iloilo province’s southern area.
Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, 61st IB commander, said they have deployed 24 CSP teams in the towns of Miag-ao, San Joaquin, Tubungan, and Leon.
The CSP is a people-centered program, which aims to bring peace and development in conflict-affected barangays. It is an initiative of our state forces to bring the government closer to the people through an immediate delivery of basic services, especially to grassroots communities.
Batara said the CSP teams will act as facilitators in addressing the issues on the exploitation of the communist terrorists in the communities in collaboration with various national government agencies (NGAs), local government agencies (LGAs), LGUs, and other stakeholders.
The areas where they are deployed are considered Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAS).
Batara said Miagao, San Joaquin and Tubungan in Iloilo’s 1st congressional district and Leon in the 2nd district are categorized as rebel affected areas.
