ILOILO City – “Don’t let them harm you and the people. Hunt them down.” Major General Dinoh Dolina, commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) in Panay Island, ordered his men to launch offensives against the New People’s Army (NPA) after three successive encounters with the rebels.
The third encounter took place yesterday in Sitio Igburay, Barangay Indaluyon, Igbaras Iloilo. A soldier of the 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) was hurt.
“The rebels are planning a series of attacks against us and other targets. They will use landmines,” said Dolina.
During a skirmish with rebels in Barangay Mulangan, Igbaras on March 17, 61IB troops recovered nine improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
“The use of antipersonnel mines is a violation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines (Ottawa Treaty), and the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity (Republic Act 9851),” said Dolina.
Two days after the Barangay Mulangan clash, an undetermined number of rebels fired at the troops of the 61IB in Barangay Osorio 1, San Remegio, Antique on March 19.
The third encounter yesterday erupted around 5:45 a.m. in Sitio Igburay, Barangay Indaluyon, Igbaras. A bullet grazed the face of Private First Class Bryan Cillo.
The firefight went on for some 15 minutes; some 10 armed men then withdrew to the mountains, said 61IB commander Lieutenant Colonel Sisenando Magbalot.
His men recovered one Claymore mine, seven backpacks, two detonators for improvised bombs, two Baofeng handheld radios, two cellular phones, two handcuffs, two magazines for an M16 rifle, and 14 7.62-mm live ammunition.
“Yes, we will hunt them. We don’t want them to inflict fear on people. Residents are giving us information about the rebels’ whereabouts,” said Magbalot.
The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is marking its 50th anniversary on March 29.
Three men arrested by the Army in Barangay Mulangan, Igbaras on March 17 said they were recruited by rebels tasked with making IEDs.
According to Magbalot, the nine IEDs his men recovered were designed to inflict considerable damage.
“Talagang damaging ang na-recover. Kayang paliparin ang truck natin ng ilang feet kasi malakas,” he said.
The IEDs – each weighing 10 kilos – were recovered from the house of the Elamparo family after 61IB troops repelled a group of 10 armed rebels gathered inside.
Magbalot believed the rebels intended to use the IEDs against government troops this March 29./PN
