Samar: The Philippine Army has issued a warning to remaining New People’s Army (NPA) members in Samar province, indicating plans for intensified military operations. This announcement follows a recent confrontation that resulted in the death of one NPA fighter and the capture of two others.
According to Philippines News Agency, Lt. Col. Marvin Inocencio, commander of the Army’s 46th Infantry Battalion (IB), stated that the military is committed to maintaining its ‘operational momentum’ to eradicate local insurgency in the mountainous areas of Samar province. Inocencio emphasized the battalion’s determination to dismantle the remnants of communist terrorist groups hindering the government’s peace and development initiatives in Samar.
The clash occurred on September 13 in upland Concepcion village in Paranas, Samar, where troops from the 46IB encountered NPA remnants. The skirmish led to the death of a rebel identified as Gerry Dela Cruz, also known as ‘Justin.’ Additionally, soldiers captured two individuals: alias ‘Aye,’ a political guide for the NPA sub-regional committee, and alias ‘Tintin,’ a member of the NPA regional security force.
During the encounter, soldiers confiscated three M16 rifles, two .45-caliber pistols, three backpacks, three bandoliers, various subversive documents, and other war materiel. The brief yet intense gun battle was sparked by an attack from heavily armed NPA remnants in Concepcion village, but no casualties were reported on the government side.
The 46IB’s parent unit, the Army’s 801st Infantry Brigade (Bde), praised the soldiers for their swift and decisive response, highlighting the unit’s commitment to safeguarding communities and eliminating remaining threats to peace. Col. Arlino Sendaydiego, the 801Bde commander, expressed the brigade’s unwavering resolve to end the decades-long abuses perpetrated by the communist terrorist group in Paranas. He urged the remaining rebels in Samar to lay down their arms, assuring them that the government is prepared to assist them in rebuilding their lives.