ILOILO City –The 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) of the Philippine Army foiled the recruitment plans of the New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) after an armed encounter in a remote area of President Roxas, Capiz yesterday morning.
Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, 61IB commander, said government troops conducted a strike operation after civilians informed them of the rebels’ presence in the area.
There were an estimated 15 rebels they were believed to be under the Sangay sa Partido sa Platoon (SPP) – East, Komiteng Rehiyon led by a certain “Guning.”
After a brief firefight, the rebels fled towards Barangay Badiangon of the same municipality.
“No casualty was recorded on our side,” Batara said.
The rebels were in the area to recruit “child soldiers,” he said, citing his troops’ recoveries.
The rebels appeared to be setting up a temporary encampment for their recruitment activities, said Batara.
“They were clearing the area and in fact, they already put up posts there,” he said.
Among the recoveries were a portable generator, a multimedia projector, two hand grenades, one anti-personnel mine, eight rifle grenades, four backpacks, two cellular phones, one container of gasoline, two sacks of rice, personal belongings, and subversive documents.
The recovered documents contained “valuable” information that would lead the Army to more anti-insurgency operations, said Batara. (With a report from the Philippine Army/PN)
