Tacloban City– One Soldier was hurt after a five minutes clash on December 30 with the NPA remnants in Barangay Canhandungan Jaro Leyte the military confirmed.
Accordingly the 93rd Infantry “Bantay Kapayapaan” Battalion engaged an encountere which resulted to the seizure of one .45 caliber pistol, three improvised explosive devices (IEDs), ammunition, and other war materiel. One soldier was wounded in action and immediately transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. He is currently in stable condition.
Captain Jefferson Mariano Chief of the 8th ID Public Affairs Office said tha the encounter stemmed from reports received from concerned citizens about the presence of unidentified armed individuals in their farmlands. Acting on this information, troops of the 93rd Infantry Battalion located and engaged the estimated nine NPA members.
Lieutenant Colonel Charlie L. Saclot, Commanding Officer of the 93rd Infantry Battalion, emphasized the crucial role of civilian cooperation in the successful operation. “The information we received from the residents of Barangay Canhandugan about the presence of suspicious individuals in their area prompted us to immediately deploy troops to the area, which resulted in the encounter,” Lt. Col. Saclot stated.
Brigadier General Noel A. Vestuir, Commander of the 802nd Infantry “Peerless” Brigade, commended the troops of the 93rd Infantry Battalion for their swift response to the residents’ concerns.
“Once again, the NPA has failed in their terroristic activities due to the invaluable assistance of the populace who informed the soldiers about the presence of unknown individuals in their community,” Brig. Gen. Vestuir said.
“For the remaining few members of the Communist Terrorist Group, it is high time to return to the folds of the law and avail themselves of the government’s services, such as the Amnesty Program, which offers forgiveness and a chance to start anew. I also urge all Leyteños to continue denying any form of support to terrorist groups to advance our collective goal of freeing our communities from fear, intimidation, and exploitation.” Vestuir concluded.