At least five New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents were killed following a gun battle Saturday morning with elements of the Philippine Army 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) in Escalante City’s Sitio Morino, located in the city’s Barangay Paitan. According to the Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade, the 79IB was responding to the area after receiving an intelligence report surrounding claims of an NPA presence in the area.
The 79IB was said to have engaged in the battle for at least 45 minutes against approximately 30 to 40 insurgents. During the exchange, rebel forces allegedly exploded several anti-personnel mines before withdrawing to nearby Sitio Sampinit in the same barangay.
Three soldiers, identified as Corporals Homer Aniversario, Ronald Tuhao, and Jerald Caluyo, were slightly wounded and were immediately rushed to the hospital for treatment.
As the rebels were withdrawing, the 79IB spotted insurgents dragging five fatalities away from the encounter site. The information was later verified when the troops interviewed several residents who also saw the rebels dragging their dead, along with the presence of “heavy blood marks” in the area previously held by the insurgents.
Government forces also seized an anti-personnel mine, subversive documents and lecture materials, a hammock, an NPA cap, and the rebels’ personal belongings.
No civilians were hurt in the gun battle but over 100 families were evacuated by the army and local government to Paitan Elementary School.
The 79IB, along with the Escalante City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, immediately provided relief supplies and medical assistance to the affected residents.
The army has since sent in more reinforcements to the area to chase down the fleeing rebels./DGB, WDJ