By Bennie A. Recebido
SORSOGON CITY, July 8 (PIA) – The military and police offices in Bicol have set a press conference today, July 8, at 9 a.m., at the Solcom Bldg. in Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City on the series of encounters between government troops and rebels in the province of SOrsogon.
In an information sent to the media, military and police officials said the press conference intends to clarify some issues regarding the encounters between the 31st IB army troops and the New people’s Army on July 4 and 6.
The interfacing also intends to make clear on the reported incident of harassment of personnel of Gubat Municipal Police marshaling the Bicol University-Gubat Campus Fun Run by unidentified lawless elements believed to be rebels in Barangay Buenavista, Gubat, Sorsogon, this morning, July 7, 2013.
It can be recalled that on July 4 around 6 a.m. am the 31st Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army under 2nd Lt. Alfie P. Ayo, while conducting combat operations encountered more or less 20 CNN belonging to the Komite sa Probinsya (KOMPROB) Sorsogon at Brgy. Upper Calmayon in Juban, Sorsogon.
The 35-minute firefight resulted the death of eight rebels including two women fighters. Over running the enemy encampment, three (3) M653, two (2) M16 with attached M203 grenade launcher, and one (1) Improvised Explosive Device (IED), including the bodies of eight casualties were recovered. No reported casualty on the government side.
Early morning of July 6, another encounter between army troops and a supposed unit of the New People’s Army (NPA) took place around the vicinity of Brgy. Gabao, Irosin, Sorsogon that resulted in the death of one suspected rebel in Sorsogon whose identity is yet to determine.
However, the rebel group through Ka Samuel Guerrero, who identified himself as the spokesman of the Bagong Hukbong Bayan - Celso Minguez Command, claimed that the encounter in Juban town was instead a massacre and overkill when their comrades were slain by army troopers.
He further claimed that so much firepower was poured by soldiers into the already dead victims, and that said behavior was a clear violation of internationally-accepted protocol on armed engagement, and on wounded casualties who were no longer capable of fighting back.
He also said that the 31st IB soldiers, under its Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Beerjenson N. Aquino, allegedly confiscated and pocketed part of their organization funds amounting to some Php 300,000, and withheld it from public knowledge, aside from four (4) laptop computers, cellphones, and other items.
But Lt. Col. Aquino vehemently denied the said accusations.
He also said the clash in Upper Calmayon resulted in the biggest number of rebel casualties in the Bicol region, so far. “We are so positive that the incident will somehow paralyze our enemy’s operation in the region particularly that a top rank NPA official was one of the casualties,” he narrated.
Spokesperson of BHB-Celso Minguez Command Ka Samuel Guerrero, in his post in their blogsite, confirmed the death of National Democratic Front (NDF) Bicol spokesperson Ka Greg Banares, who’s real name is Frankie Joe Soriano, during the clash in Juban. He also identified the other NPA casualties as Ka Miloy (Pehing Hipa), Ka Nel (Christine Puche), Ka Gary (Ted Palacio), Ka Rey (David Llunar), Ka Nene (Romero Añonuevo), Ka Jay (William Villanueva, Jr), and Ka Kevin (Ailyn Calma). All casualties were Bicolanos.
Aquino disclosed that the successful army operation was a result of civilian-military collaboration against NPAs believed to be behind the series of execution and extortion activities not only in Sorsogon but in Bicol region. He said the soldiers involved in the firefight responded to a distress call from the villagers complaining of the “prolonged extortion, abuses and threats” by the insurgents. “Residents in Juban are also fed up and are yearning so much to live a decent and peaceful life while at the same time enjoy the outgrowth of their sweat,” he said.
He likewise shared the hotline numbers where they can be reached for the benefit of those who, just like them, work to achieve lasting peace and development. The contact numbers are: GLOBE 09175581317 and SMART 09399075314. (MAL/BAR-PIA Sorsogon)
SORSOGON CITY, July 8 (PIA) – The military and police offices in Bicol have set a press conference today, July 8, at 9 a.m., at the Solcom Bldg. in Camp Simeon Ola in Legazpi City on the series of encounters between government troops and rebels in the province of SOrsogon.
In an information sent to the media, military and police officials said the press conference intends to clarify some issues regarding the encounters between the 31st IB army troops and the New people’s Army on July 4 and 6.
The interfacing also intends to make clear on the reported incident of harassment of personnel of Gubat Municipal Police marshaling the Bicol University-Gubat Campus Fun Run by unidentified lawless elements believed to be rebels in Barangay Buenavista, Gubat, Sorsogon, this morning, July 7, 2013.
It can be recalled that on July 4 around 6 a.m. am the 31st Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army under 2nd Lt. Alfie P. Ayo, while conducting combat operations encountered more or less 20 CNN belonging to the Komite sa Probinsya (KOMPROB) Sorsogon at Brgy. Upper Calmayon in Juban, Sorsogon.
The 35-minute firefight resulted the death of eight rebels including two women fighters. Over running the enemy encampment, three (3) M653, two (2) M16 with attached M203 grenade launcher, and one (1) Improvised Explosive Device (IED), including the bodies of eight casualties were recovered. No reported casualty on the government side.
Early morning of July 6, another encounter between army troops and a supposed unit of the New People’s Army (NPA) took place around the vicinity of Brgy. Gabao, Irosin, Sorsogon that resulted in the death of one suspected rebel in Sorsogon whose identity is yet to determine.
However, the rebel group through Ka Samuel Guerrero, who identified himself as the spokesman of the Bagong Hukbong Bayan - Celso Minguez Command, claimed that the encounter in Juban town was instead a massacre and overkill when their comrades were slain by army troopers.
He further claimed that so much firepower was poured by soldiers into the already dead victims, and that said behavior was a clear violation of internationally-accepted protocol on armed engagement, and on wounded casualties who were no longer capable of fighting back.
He also said that the 31st IB soldiers, under its Commanding Officer, Lt. Col. Beerjenson N. Aquino, allegedly confiscated and pocketed part of their organization funds amounting to some Php 300,000, and withheld it from public knowledge, aside from four (4) laptop computers, cellphones, and other items.
But Lt. Col. Aquino vehemently denied the said accusations.
He also said the clash in Upper Calmayon resulted in the biggest number of rebel casualties in the Bicol region, so far. “We are so positive that the incident will somehow paralyze our enemy’s operation in the region particularly that a top rank NPA official was one of the casualties,” he narrated.
Spokesperson of BHB-Celso Minguez Command Ka Samuel Guerrero, in his post in their blogsite, confirmed the death of National Democratic Front (NDF) Bicol spokesperson Ka Greg Banares, who’s real name is Frankie Joe Soriano, during the clash in Juban. He also identified the other NPA casualties as Ka Miloy (Pehing Hipa), Ka Nel (Christine Puche), Ka Gary (Ted Palacio), Ka Rey (David Llunar), Ka Nene (Romero Añonuevo), Ka Jay (William Villanueva, Jr), and Ka Kevin (Ailyn Calma). All casualties were Bicolanos.
Aquino disclosed that the successful army operation was a result of civilian-military collaboration against NPAs believed to be behind the series of execution and extortion activities not only in Sorsogon but in Bicol region. He said the soldiers involved in the firefight responded to a distress call from the villagers complaining of the “prolonged extortion, abuses and threats” by the insurgents. “Residents in Juban are also fed up and are yearning so much to live a decent and peaceful life while at the same time enjoy the outgrowth of their sweat,” he said.
He likewise shared the hotline numbers where they can be reached for the benefit of those who, just like them, work to achieve lasting peace and development. The contact numbers are: GLOBE 09175581317 and SMART 09399075314. (MAL/BAR-PIA Sorsogon)
No comments:
Post a Comment