CATBALOGAN CITY — A suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed, and three high-powered firearms were seized during a Joint Focused Military Operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the hinterlands of Barangay Bagacay Palapag, Northern Samar on the evening of March 18, 2024.
Capt. Jefferson Mariano, chief of the 8th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, in his media statement said, the joint operation was conducted following information provided by concerned civilians who spotted a group of armed men passing through the outskirts of the barangay.
The Army official added that a series of encounters ensued between government troops and the rebels, resulting in the recovery of one unidentified cadaver and the seizure of three high-powered firearms, one international humanitarian law-banned anti-personnel mine, medical paraphernalia, subversive documents, and other war materiel.
Members of the police SOCO helped in the clearing efforts, which is still ongoing as of this reporting. Troops on the ground have observed heavy bloodstains along the withdrawal route of the rebels, indicating that they suffered heavy casualties.
Major General Camilo Ligayo, commander of the 8th Infantry Division based in Samar, attributed the success of the operation to efforts to protect barangays from the NPA’s recovery efforts, extortion, and intimidation.
“This is our strong response to the wishes of our people to free them from the continuous threats of the NPA terrorists. We will not rest; we will continue to hunt them anywhere, anytime. What they (NPAs) can do now, and the option left for them, is to lay down their firearms and go home to their families,” Maj. Gen. Ligayo said.
“We are now in the sustainment stage since we already dismantled the two remaining Guerilla Fronts last year and another two NPA units early this year. In no time, we can eradicate the insurgency problem, especially with the continued efforts in the community and through aggressive combat operations,” Maj. Gen. Ligayo added.
The encountered band of rebels is notorious for numerous atrocities in Northern Samar, such as ambushes, extortions, and killings. Multiple warrants of arrest for murder and attempted murder have been filed for their inhumane activities.
