MANILA – A Philippine Army officer was killed and a suspected communist rebel was arrested after troops clashed with members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in San Jose town, Occidental Mindoro on Sunday.
According to Col. Michael Aquino of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, soldiers from the 203rd Infantry Battalion were conducting pursuit operations in Sitio Salafay, Barangay Monteclaro when they encountered a group of about 15 insurgents.
The firefight lasted around 20 minutes and occurred on the same day the NPA marked its 57th anniversary.
Following the clash, government troops recovered an M-16 automatic rifle, a grenade, and materials used in the assembly of improvised explosive devices.
The military identified the fallen officer as 1st Lt. Dean Oyando. Two soldiers were wounded in the incident, including one who was transferred to the AFP Medical Center for further medical care.
Aquino said Oyando’s sacrifice reflects the dedication of soldiers working to maintain peace and protect communities.
He also noted that continued military operations have significantly hampered the activities of the remaining NPA fighters in the area.
“Our sustained efforts have disrupted their operations and weakened their capacity to launch attacks. We will continue applying full operational pressure to prevent them from reorganizing,” Aquino said.
The Army likewise appealed to residents to remain watchful and support security forces by sharing information that could assist ongoing operations.
Pursuit operations remain underway as troops track down the insurgents who fled the encounter while ensuring the safety of nearby communities.
The incident followed an earlier clash on March 24 in the same village involving the same military unit. During that encounter, soldiers recovered a firearm and observed bloodstains believed to indicate possible rebel casualties.
ia/xf
