Two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with government forces in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, the military said Tuesday. In a statement, the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) said combined troopers of the Army’s 401st Infantry and the 901st Brigades (Bde) were dispatched to Bayugan’s Barangay San Juan after receiving reports of 18 armed NPA insurgents in the area. ‘The 15-minute firefight has resulted in the death of two unidentified NPA combatants and the capture of high-powered firearms and ammunition,’ the 4ID said, referring to the predawn clash in Barangay San Juan on Monday. The recovered firearms included an M4 Carbine rifle, a modified Carbine rifle, various ammunition and magazines, and personal belongings of the guerrillas. Brig. Gen. Rommel Almaria, 401Bde commander, attributed the operation’s success to the cooperation among various government line agencies and the local government units (LGUs) in the area under the Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC). ‘Our partnership with the agencies and the LGUs under the TF-ELCAC is the centerpiece of our campaign to defeat the communist rebels,’ Almaria was quoted in the statement as saying. In a separate statement, Brig. Gen. George Banzon, 901Bde commander, commended the Army troopers for ‘effectively blocking the traditional routes of the NPA rebels and cutting off their resource and supply generations in the area.” ‘We intend to finish this fight. We shall continue to capitalize on our gains and step up some more to finally defeat the NPA to its smallest formations,’ Banzon said. He said pursuit operations were ongoing as of posting time, while efforts were also being done to identify the two slain rebels.

Source: Philippines News Agency