Sultan Kudarat. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao del Norte – The military announced Tuesday that a leader of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) was killed Sunday during an encounter with government forces in Palimbang town, Sultan Kudarat province.
Lieutenant Colonel John Paul Baldomar, commander of the Army’s 37th Infantry Battalion, said Joseph Longan, the commanding officer of the Beijing Platoon of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region command operating in the hinterlands of Sultan Kudarat, was killed in a clash with Army troops in Sitio Kalogkog, Barangay Badiangon.
“He is one of our high-value targets,” Baldomar said.
Baldomar revealed that residents alerted the Army about recruitment activities among high school students of the village.
The Army sent troops to the village but were fired upon by the NPA guerrillas, triggering a 10-minute gunbattle, Baldomar added.
Brigadier General Michael Santos, commander of the Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade, said soldiers recovered a hand grenade, food supplies, and personal items beside the body of Longan.
“The rebels have nowhere to go, there’s no let up in our operation against them in the mountains of Palimbang, Kalamansig, and nearby areas,” Santos said.
He recalled that on July 27, 37th IB troops also killed Rowie Libot, a member of the NPA’s Far South Regional command, in a brief encounter in Barangay Limulan of Kalamansig town.
Major General Alex S. Rillera, 6th Infantry Division commander, lauded the 37IB troops and urged remaining communist rebels to lay down their guns and rejoin mainstream society.
Since January, the 6th ID said it had arrested seven rebels, killed 12 in encounters, and caused the surrender of 23 others.
The 6th ID covers Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, South Cotabato, and parts of Sarangani, Cotabato and Lanao del Sur.
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