Joint military and police operatives recovered three improvised explosive devices (IED) following an encounter with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Pilar, Sorsogon Sunday.
Lt. Col. Perfecto Peñaredondo, chief of the the Army’s 2nd Infantry Battalion, said soldiers led by 2nd IB 1Lt. Joel Pedregosa were patrolling the area with officers from the Philippine National Police when they encountered six NPA rebels at around 2 p.m. in Barangay Pinagsalog.
A firefight ensued and lasted for a brief two minutes before the rebels withdrew, leaving behind the IEDs.
None of the government troops were injured in the clash.
Meanwhile in Negros Oriental, soldiers recovered three firearms left behind by suspected NPA rebels in Guihulngan City also on Sunday.
Lt. Col. Paulito Idul, chief of the Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion, said they received information from residents of Barangay McKinley that armed men were in the area, extorting money from civilians.
“We responded on the reported presence of lawless armed elements to prevent them from conducting terror activities against civilians,” Idul said.
Soldiers from the 11th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division recovered one (1) M1 Garand Rifle, one (1) M1 Carbine, one (1) Cal .22 pistol, and assorted live ammunitions.
Maj. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, chief of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, lauded the residents for reporting the presence of armed men in their village.
“This is a manifestation of continued and active cooperation of the civilians by providing the Army information on the presence of lawless armed elements in their communities,” he said.
