Military batters rebels in Eastern Visayas



Catbalogan, Samar: The 8th Infantry Division, Philippine Army has again battered CPP/NPA terrorists in the Eastern Visayas after hitting them in two separate operations in Leyte and Northern Samar, killing two NPA fighters and capturing three CPP/NPA members. Recovered from the communist terrorists were four M16 armalite and one M14 sniper rifles, one colt super .38 handgun, a laptop computer, magazines and assorted ammunition and subversive CPP/NPA documents.

Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division Commanding General, Major General Bonifacio B Ramos AFP commended the troops for effectively carrying out the instructions of the national leadership to relentlessly conduct pursuit operations against the CPP/NPA/NDF and other lawless elements.

Likewise, Major General Ramos expressed his sincere gratitude to the public for providing timely and accurate information that led to the operation’s success. “We are happy that most of our people realized that ending insurgency and achieving true peace requires the vigorous participation of everybody,” he said.

At around 8:45 a.m. Saturday, members of 802nd Brigade, particularly 19th Infantry Battalion with augmentation from the different AFP intelligence units led by Lieutenant Colonel Lope C. Dagoy, raided the compound of Doctor Ramon Agudo at Barangay Santo Niño, Ormoc City, Leyte following reports from civilians about the presence of a NPA safe house and suspicious looking armed persons in the site.

The raid led to the arrest of communist terrorist members Nathaniel Agustin alias Ronie/Regan, Jojo Rubilos y Agapito alias Jeorge & Liezel Rentillosa.

In a related news, on July 6, the 803rd Brigade’s 63rd Infantry Battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Felimon T. Santos Jr. also gunned down two NPA terrorist fighters while rescuing an old woman named Marilyn Parane and an infant after exchanging fire with a separate group of NPAs at Barangay Imelda, Las Navas, Northern Samar.

The woman and infant were later turned over to the Municipal Social Welfare Development Office of Las Navas.