Camp Felix Apolinario, Panacan, Davao City, July 7, 2010– Government troops engaged New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists in a series of gunbattles in Digos City and Sta. Cruz town in Davao del Sur province today.
The two separate firefights came following clash between NPAs and army troops from 39th Infantry Battalion (39IB) and 72nd Infantry Battalion (72IB) yesterday in Sitio (sub-village) Upper Bakoko in the village of Kapatagan in Digos City. It may be recalled that at least two NPAs were believed killed in Tuesday’s gunbattle where soldiers also recover an M16 assault rifle.
The first engagement occurred when pursuing troops of 39IB caught-up with about 15 terrorists at 9:00 AM still in Sitio Upper Bakoko in the village of Kapatagan. Soldiers engaged the terrorists but the NPAs refused to put-up a fight and instead fled leaving an M16 assault rifle which was recovered by government troops. A few hours later in the afternoon at 2:00 PM, another gunbattle erupted between troops from the Division Reconnaissance Company and about 10 fleeing NPAs in Sitio Mariras in the village of Sibulan in nearby Sta. Cruz town. Troops recovered another M16 assault rifle following the brief clash.
Authorities believe that some of the NPAs were wounded in Tuesday’s gunbattle thus refusing to put-up a fight.
Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division said the series of encounters is a “proof that the NPAs have nowhere to go but surrender in light of the growing support of the people to our campaign against terrorism.”
Holganza renewed his call for NPAs to “leave their wounded so that we can take care of them and be given appropriate medical attention rather than risking their lives.”
“The wounded NPAs are our fellow Filipinos and our misguided brothers need to realize that the government can best provide medical attention to them as what we have done to Zaldy Canete, the high ranking NPA leader who surrendered after being wounded last January.” Holganza added.
The two separate firefights came following clash between NPAs and army troops from 39th Infantry Battalion (39IB) and 72nd Infantry Battalion (72IB) yesterday in Sitio (sub-village) Upper Bakoko in the village of Kapatagan in Digos City. It may be recalled that at least two NPAs were believed killed in Tuesday’s gunbattle where soldiers also recover an M16 assault rifle.
The first engagement occurred when pursuing troops of 39IB caught-up with about 15 terrorists at 9:00 AM still in Sitio Upper Bakoko in the village of Kapatagan. Soldiers engaged the terrorists but the NPAs refused to put-up a fight and instead fled leaving an M16 assault rifle which was recovered by government troops. A few hours later in the afternoon at 2:00 PM, another gunbattle erupted between troops from the Division Reconnaissance Company and about 10 fleeing NPAs in Sitio Mariras in the village of Sibulan in nearby Sta. Cruz town. Troops recovered another M16 assault rifle following the brief clash.
Authorities believe that some of the NPAs were wounded in Tuesday’s gunbattle thus refusing to put-up a fight.
Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division said the series of encounters is a “proof that the NPAs have nowhere to go but surrender in light of the growing support of the people to our campaign against terrorism.”
Holganza renewed his call for NPAs to “leave their wounded so that we can take care of them and be given appropriate medical attention rather than risking their lives.”
“The wounded NPAs are our fellow Filipinos and our misguided brothers need to realize that the government can best provide medical attention to them as what we have done to Zaldy Canete, the high ranking NPA leader who surrendered after being wounded last January.” Holganza added.
No comments:
Post a Comment