10th Infantry Division spokesman Captain Rhyan Batchar defends simultaneous encounters between government troops and the communist guerrillas as pre-election measures. (Ace R. Morandante/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY — Army spokesman Captain Rhyan Batchar of the 10th Infantry Division said that the simultaneous encounters of New Peoples Army (NPA) in Region 11 is a preventive action in preparation for the election period.
“We are nearing elections so that is why we are strengthening the law enforcement operations together with the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Batchar said Wednesday, April 27.
The series of encounters happened on Monday and Tuesday April 25 and April 26 in Laak town Compostela Valley Province, Toril District here and Sibulan in Davao del Sur.
A soldier and a civilian were reportedly killed, while another soldier was hurt in an encounter with the NPA early morning Tuesday, April 26 in Sitio Tubison, Barangay Astorga, Sta Cruz, Davao del Sur. Batchar identified the casualties as Corporal Roosevelt Tamse and civilian named Dionie Cantolan and the wounded soldier as Corporal Richard Raniola.
Batchar said that another encounter happened in Sitio Langit-Langit still in Barangay Astorga that wounded Private first class (PFC) Arman Mabahait who got hit by a shrapnel in his right shoulder.
On Monday, an encounter also happened in Laak, Compostela Valley Province which killed Pfc Helmor Balolor and wounded Pfc Junard Dave Buenafe.
Also on Friday evening, April 22, an encounter between the Army and the NPAs in Barangay Datu Davao, Laak town yielded the recovery of three high-powered firearms, which included a caliber 30 BAR rifle, caliber 30 M1 carbine rifle and an improvised grenade launcher, said Batchar.
Batchar added that they will still continue the pursuit operations on the NPAs and there will be no changes in deployment of the armies and additional forces in the areas.
The NPA has released six out of its 11 prisoners-of-war since Monday. Five more government troops are still in their custody.(davaotoday.com)
