A New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed in a clash with police and military troops in Barangay Gñaran, San Fernando town in Camarines Sur on Friday, the Philippine Army (PA) has reported.
Maj. John Paul Belleza, 9th Infantry Division (9ID) spokesperson, said in a report sent to reporters on Saturday that the joint team encountered nine armed rebels.
After some eight-minute firefight, the rebels fled in different directions, leaving their slain comrade.
Belleza said the gun battle ensued when the troops responded to the "information from concerned citizens regarding the presence of several armed men in Barangay Gñaran..."
Government troops also recovered from the clash site one M16A1 Rifle, a short magazine for M16, 17 rounds of ammunition, a bandolier, and several propaganda materials.
Major General Alex Luna, Commander of 9ID and Joint Task Force Bicolandia, reiterated the openness of the government in receiving any communist terrorist group (CTG) members willing to reunite and surrender.
"Lahat po ng pagkakataon ay aming kukunin, matuldukan lamang po ang problema sa insurhensiya. Hindi po madali para sa amin ang trabahong ito, ang makipaglaban sa ating kapwa Pilipino na naligaw ng landas nang dahil sa baluktot na ideolohiya. Kaya po lahat ng programa ay aming inilalatag para sainyo [CTG], kayo na lamang po [CTG] ang aming hinihintay, maging ang inyong mga kapamilya ay umaasa sa inyong pagbabalik loob. (We will get all the opportunities to end the problem of insurgency. This is not an easy job, to fight with our fellow Filipino that was misled by the wrong ideology. That's why all our programs were given to the benefit of our rebels, we are waiting for you, with your families hoping that you will return to the fold of the law)," Luna said.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The National Democratic Front has been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973.
Source: Philippines News Agency