ZAMBOANGA CITY –– A soldier from the Army’s 97th Infantry Battalion was killed in an encounter with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur on Friday morning (April 24).
Lt. Col. Manaros Boransing II, battalion commander, said the soldier was badly wounded in the clash in Barangay Balukbahan by the same NPA guerrillas they exchanged gunfire with last Tuesday, April 21.
The government troops were on foot patrol in the area when they encountered the rebels.
Boransing said the soldier died around 10 a.m. while on emergency air evacuation.
Major General Gene M. Ponio, 1st Infantry Division commander, has ordered the deployment of more troops in the area to pursue the rebels.
On April 21, government troops recovered war materiel including an M16 rifle and an improvised explosive device from the rebels.
On Thursday night, President Duterte lashed out at the NPA for staging attacks on government forces who are preoccupied with responding to the health crisis.
Duterte even threatened to declare martial law, if these persist.
Last Wednesday, in Davao City, two soldiers were injured after the NPA blew up an explosive that the military said was a landmine.
Lt. Col. Ezra Balagtey, Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson, said the soldiers were on foot patrol in Sitio Kapihan of Barangay Malabog in Paquibato District when the explosion occurred at 3:20 p.m.
The patrol was meant to secure the area before local officials and personnel from the Department of Social Welfare and Development distribute cash assistance to residents under the Social Amelioration Program to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
Balagtey said the troops were sent after they were alerted by civilians about the rebels planning to harass the distribution of cash assistance.
Balagtey noted that the NPA supposedly declared an extension of its unilateral ceasefire up to April 30.
On April 19, government troops clashed with NPA rebels in Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte. The following day, an NPA leader was killed in an encounter in Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte, , according to Balagtey. With reports from Orlando B. Dinoy