Joint Task Force-Negros (JTF-Negros) commander, Brigadier General Eric Vinoya, yesterday slammed the New People’s Army (NPA) after elements of the Philippine Army 94th Infantry Battalion recovered several landmines following a clash in Manjuyod, Negros Oriental.
Based on information provided by the Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade, troops were deployed to Sitio Cabangahan, located in the town’s Barangay Bantolinao, after residents tipped them off on a local NPA presence.
A gun battle ensued around 2:20 p.m. and lasted for 40 minutes until the insurgents were forced to fall back.
The army has yet to determine how many rebels were either killed or wounded but locals reported seeing NPA insurgents carrying their dead and wounded during their retreat.
During a follow-up search of the encounter site, government forces recovered an anti-personnel mine, handheld radio, two backpacks, two mobile phones, seven kilograms of rice, gun parts belonging to an M16 assault rifle, subversive booklets, and the rebels’ personal belongings.
Following the recovery of the explosive device, Vinoya blasted the NPA rebels and pointed out, the use of anti-personnel mines is a violation of international humanitarian law and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention of the 1999 Ottawa Treaty.
He added, insurgents don’t regard the sanctity of life./DGB, WDJ