Soldiers battle alleged NPAs in Capiz

July 5, 2019

Soldiers engaged alleged members of the New People's Army ( NPA) in a 20-minute firefight in President Roxas, Capiz Friday.

Capt. Cenon Pancito III,  public affairs chief of the 3rd Infantry Division, said the troops of 61st Infantry Battalion encountered around 15 armed men at the vicinity of President Roxas in Capiz around 8:20 am.

"According to Lt. Col Joel Benedict Batara, commanding officer, 61IB, they received information from the civilian populace on the presence of the fully-armed CPP-NPA terrorists conducting recruitment activities among minors and planning to conduct atrocities in the area. Hence he immediately deployed his troops to conduct combat operations in the barangay," he said.

Batara said the soldiers were fired upon when they approached the target area, forcing them to retaliate.

Pancito said "the firefight lasted for about 20 minutes before the communist-terrorists withdrew towards Barangay Badiangon of same municipality."

"No one was hurt on the government side while ( casualties) remain undetermined on the enemy side," he said.

Pancito said troops recovered "one portable generator, one multi-media projector, two hand grenades, one anti-personnel mine, eight rifle grenades, four back packs, two cellular phones, one container of gasoline, two sacks of rice, and other personal belongings and subversive documents with high intelligence value".

He said soldiers are pursuing the armed men.Robina Asido/DMS