BY CRIS DIAZ
CLAVERIA, Misamis Oriental: A combatant of the outlawed New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a firefight with state forces in the hinterlands of Gingoog City in Misamis Oriental on Thursday, October 20, 2022.
A military report reaching here Friday, said that elements of the army’s 58IB were conducting patrol in Alagatan, a hinterland village of Gingoog, when they encountered an undetermined number of armed group, which resulted to a 20-minute firefight.
Lt. Col. Christian Uy, the 58IB commander, said that the military also captured one M16 rifles and two backpacks on the site of the encounter as state forces waged hot pursuit operations until Friday.
He said that the military turned over the casualty to the local government of Gingoog for proper disposal. No casualty on the government side.
According to Uy, the armed group could be remnants of the NPA’s Platoon Falcon, Sub Regional Command-1 (SRC-1), North Central Mindanao Regional Command (NCMRC).
As a result of the encounter, Uy reiterated calls to the remnants of the communist rebels still hiding in the hinterlands to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law while they still have the opportunity.
“We (government) appeal to the NPA rebels to surrender voluntarily to be able to avail of the government’s various programs to allow them (NPAs) to live a peaceful and normal lives, “ Uy said. -0-
