By Jennifer P. Rendon
A soldier was wounded in a clash with suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) morning of May 15 in Miag-ao, Iloilo.
Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, 61st Infantry Battalion commander, did not name the injured soldier who holds the rank of staff sergeant.
A composite team from the 61st IB were on combat operations when they encountered around 30 rebels from the NPA’s Suyak (SDG) Platoon, Southern Front KR-Panay at around 9:45 a.m. of Saturday at Barangay Alimodian, a hinterland village around 25 kilometers from the Miag-ao town proper.
The area shares borders with Antique province.
Batara said the group was allegedly led by Joven Ceralvo alias Lex.
The staff sergeant suffered multiple shrapnel wounds after the explosion of an anti-personnel mine placed by the NPA within their temporary lair.
The wounded soldier was already extricated from the encounter site.
Batara said the soldier “was conscious and in stable condition,” when asked about the injured personnel’s medical bulletin.
He is now in a medical facility in Iloilo for treatment.
The armed encounter happened after the troops received intelligence information from residents on suspicious individuals who were believed to be rebels.
Sporadic gunfire lasted for about 30 minutes until the rebels withdrew to different directions.
“We believed they have been there for a few days already and were planning to build a temporary harbor place before they were reported to us,” Batara said.
The area was on a steep hill, which is quite unlikely for rebels to build a temporary encampment.
“Maybe, they have run out of areas to hide because of lack of mass-based support,” Batara said.
As this developed, more troops are now deployed to the area to continue scouring for enemy casualties and war materials that might have been left behind by the NPAs.
Further, possible withdrawal routes are monitored as pursuit operations against fleeing NPA fighters are heightened.
“With the help of the populace to end the local armed conflict, the communist terrorist group has nowhere to hide. Our troops can track and find them wherever they are. We will not stop denying their presence in the communities much more allow them to sow fear and terror to the peace-loving Panayanons who for more than five decades have suffered much from the CPP NPA presence,” Batara said.
