Two soldiers fired upon by alleged NPAs in Ilocos Sur

October 16, 2017

Two soldiers were wounded after they were fired upon by alleged members of New People’s Army (NPA) in Ilocos Sur last Sunday, a military spokesman said Monday,

2Lt. Rey Gaezzel Anfone, civil military operation officer of the Army’s 81st Infantry Battalion, said troops of 81st Infantry Battalion were helping with the improvement of Patiacan Elementary School in Quirino, Ilocos Sur when they were fired upon by around two alleged rebels at 2:45 pm.

“Upon realizing the community was being attacked, the troopers immediately secured the teachers and students who were with them beautifying and fixing the school premises,” he said.

Soldiers used their bodies to shield to the civilians, Anfone said. "It resulted to two wounded soldiers whose names are still withheld prior to the notification of their next of kin,” he added.

Anfone said the “Community Support Program (CSP) team of the 81st InfantryBattalion was deployed in Brgy. Patiacan, Quirino, Ilocos Sur to conduct bayanihan activities and provide basic needs through the support of the local government unit that will aid the residents in the socio-economic aspects of the said community."

“Troops were also securing the community against NPA atrocities,” he said.

“For two months now, no NPA atrocities were reported as the CSP teams were blocking these NPAs to get close to the community. This was the main reason they fired upon in order to force the troops to vacate the barangay,” he added. Robina Asido/DMS