BACOLOD City – A 13-year-old boy, who is allegedly a member of the New People’s Army (NPA), was captured in Sitio Dawhan, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
The 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (62IB) identified the minor as “red fighter” and turned him over to the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Himamaylan City.
Lieutenant Colonel Egberto Dacoscos, 62IB commanding officer, said the young NPA fighter was nabbed after his comrades fled during a 15-minute gunfight between military troops and rebels around 7 a.m. on Saturday.
Dacoscos said he deployed troops to Sitio Dawhan after receiving information about the presence of the communist rebels harassing and extorting the residents.
“We appreciate the bravery of our civilian-partner stakeholders who reported the presence of these abusive terrorists,” the army official said.
After the troops secured the area, seven backpacks with subversive documents, an improvised explosive device and a rebel flag were recovered.
“The Philippine Army and Philippine National Police are always ready to help you against these terrorists, we need to drive them out so that we can have progress in our community,” Dacoscos stressed./PN
