ILOILO City – An undetermined number of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were wounded in a gun battle with troops of the Philippine Army’s (PA) 61st Infantry Battalion (61IB) in Sitio Talibong, Barangay Carara-an, Leon, Iloilo on Monday, June 5.
Lieutenant Colonel Vicel Jan Garsuta, spokesperson of the PA’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), said the encounter happened at around 7 a.m. while the soldiers were conducting a combat operation in response to a report on the alleged presence of an armed group in the area.
The firefight lasted for six minutes. The rebels withdrew.
“There were no casualties on our troops,” Garsuta said.
The rebels were believed to be members of the Sibat Platoon, Southern Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay under the leadership of Jennel Tacaisan also known as “Rico.”
The government troops recovered from the encounter site a .45 pistol, various types of ammunition, a detonator for an anti-personnel mine, a roll of electrical wire, four backpacks, medical kits, and three hammocks.
For his part, Major General Marion Sison, 3ID commander, commended the 61IB and the residents for their collaborative effort, which resulted to a successful operation.
“The willingness of the people to support and cooperate with our troops is a clear manifestation that these NPAs are no longer welcome in the area. Their vigilance in reporting the presence and movements of the NPA motivates us to persist not only in putting an end to their menace but also in ensuring their ultimate downfall,” Sison said./PN
