Soldiers recover firearms, improvised bomb vs NPA in Leyte

September 28, 2019

Soldiers recovered high-powered firearms and an improvised bomb following a 20-minute encounter with alleged members of New People’s Army (NPA) in Leyte on Friday.

Capt. Reynaldo Aragones Jr., public affairs chief of the 8th Infantry Division,  said soldiers encountered around 15 rebels at the vicinity of Sitio Tay-ong, Brgy. Pinamunoan, Mahaplag at 7: 40 am.

“Initial report reaching this headquarters, stated that the troops were responding to the veracity of information provided by the populace on the presence of an armed group rummaging for food and conducting extortion in the outskirts of the aforesaid barangay,” he said.

Aragones said the firefight resulted in the recovery of one M-16A1 rifle, 130 rounds of live ammunition (5.56), three long magazines for M-16, four short magazines for M-16, one improvised explosive device, one cellular phone, one handheld Baofeng radio, medical paraphernalia and subversive documents with high intelligence value .

He said the rebels scampered to different direction after the clash.

“There was no reported casualty on the government side while undetermined on the NPA side,” said Aragones.

“Pursuit operations are ongoing for the purpose of locating and putting an end to the violent activities of the pocket NPA group in Southern Leyte,” he added.

Aragones said Major General Pio Diñoso III, commander of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, lauded the troops and commended the populace for the success of the operation.

"The internal security operations against these terrorists will be relentless and steadfast. The information shared by the populace shows they are already fed-up with the atrocities, deception and oppression committed by the terrorist NPA” Diñoso said. Robina Asido/DMS