Solider wounded in clash with alleged NPAs in Northern Samar

April 8, 2020

A soldier was wounded in a clash with alleged New People's Army (NPA) members in Northern Samar on Tuesday afternoon.

Capt. Reynaldo Aragones, public affairs chief of the 8th Infantry Division, ,  said the clash happened in  the vicinity of Brgy. Lakandula, Las Navas, Northern Samar,  around 2:50 pm.

Aragones said the troops were conducting "community protection patrol" following the reported  presence of an armed group harassing residents.

"The communist terrorists were forcefully collecting food  and otherbasic commodities while the village is on Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) due to COVID-19 which prompted the military to conduct community protection patrol and engage in a firefight more or less 15 communist terrorist," he said.

"The encounter resulted in the wounding of one soldier while there are undetermined number of casualties of the enemies as evidenced by bloodstains found in the enemy's escape route," he added.

Major General Pio Dinoso III, commander of the 8th ID Commander, said "while the entire nation is battling the contagion, the communist terrorists are taking advantage of the ceasefire by regrouping and arming themselves to orchestrate an attack against our government forces."

"The enemies are intimidating the populace who are already experiencing fear and uncertainty due to the ECQ by forcibly extracting food causing thereby scarcity of resources in the far-flung communities," he said.

"This deliberate violation of the ceasefire by the NPA will not hamper the delivery of the urgently needed medical, health and economic assistance as well as the movement of the people. Your Army assures the public that we will not drop our guard in securing the people and to work with the government to bring back normalcy in our lives that are derailed by the dreaded virus," he added.

It can be recalled that on March 19, 2020, President Rodrigo Duterte declared a unilateral ceasefire with the rebels while communist group ordered the NPA a similar ceasefire with the government on March 26.

The truce was declared so the government will be able to focus on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Robina Asido/DMS