DEL PILAR, Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte — Government troops recovered an M16 rifle, three rounds of 40mm M203 grenade launcher ammunition, and various personal belongings following a brief firefight with communist insurgents in Sitio Pirada, Barangay Del Pilar, on April 17.
According to the 29th Infantry Battalion (29IB), the encounter erupted after soldiers conducting a combat operation engaged around 10 armed members of the New People’s Army (NPA), believed to be under Platoon 1, Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabedad, Westland, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (SRSDG-WL-NEMRC), led by Marjun Navarro, alias “Julia.”
The operation was launched following reports from concerned residents about armed NPA rebels extorting money and supplies from miners in the area. The soldiers swiftly validated the information and launched the operation, which resulted in a ten-minute exchange of gunfire and the recovery of weapons and equipment left behind by the fleeing insurgents.
Lieutenant Colonel Mark S. Tabon, Commanding Officer of the 29IB, renewed his call for the remaining rebels to surrender and embrace peace through the government’s reintegration programs.
“We appeal to the remaining Communist NPA Terrorists to abandon the futile armed struggle and avoid unnecessary deaths caused by fighting for a twisted ideology,” Tabon said. “We encourage them to take advantage of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and the National Amnesty Program, which offer them a genuine chance to start a new life.”
The military continues to urge local communities to report suspicious activities to help maintain peace and security in the area.