ILOILO – Late Tuesday night, another encounter happened between Philippine Army troops and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Miag-ao town, the third such incident in the municipality in a week.
This most recent clash took place in Barangay Ibata around 11:20 p.m.
Soldiers of the Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) and rebels exchanged fire for some 20 minutes until the insurgents retreated.
The first encounter happened on Jan. 11 in Sitio Tigmahan, Barangay Alimodias.
The 61IB soldiers were in the village in response to complaints from residents that rebels were demanding rice from them, according to Lieutenant Colonel Sisenando Magbalot, 61IB commander.
The rebels eventually retreated toward the mountains of Sibalom, Antique.
The second encounter was in Sitio Lay, Barangay Dalije on Jan. 13. around 11 a.m.
Tuesday night’s clash was also the fourth of such incident in Iloilo province in a week. On Jan. 14 a soldier was wounded by rebels in Barangay Cabatangan, Lambunao town.
Corporal Aldrin Cablas of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) was taken to the Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Memorial District Hospital in Calinog, Iloilo for a gunshot wound on his left thigh.
Tuesday’s encounter happened just hours after Malacañang said the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its NPA armed wing should listen to President Rodrigo Duterte’s call to stop their illegal activities.
“The CPP-NPA, at this time, and for a change, should listen to the President. Enough of these ambuscades, enough of these extortion activities and we will sit down,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
Panelo expressed optimism that the communist rebel group will eventually heed the President’s call.
“Most likely they may finally listen to the urgings of the President. I think they’re also tired fighting the government,” he said.
Panelo said it would be “useless” to continue the peace talks with the communist rebels if they continue to commit criminal acts.
“What would be the point of having peace talks if you continue killing your enemy and you’re still doing illegal acts?” he said.
There seems to be a “disparity” between the ideas of CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison and the acts of NPA fighters on the ground, added Panelo.
“It seems like fighters on the ground do not follow Sison because otherwise, if ground forces follow him and he wants to talk, then they should follow the conditions,” he said.
Panelo emphasized that Duterte, a former mayor of Davao City, has been open to peace negotiations “ever since.”
“The only condition is to stop doing these ambuscades and extortion activities because he doesn’t want Filipinos killing each other — that has been his line and policy ever since, even when he was still a mayor,” said Panelo. (With a report from the Philippine News Agency/PN)
