Troops of the 79th Infantry (Masaligan) Battalion thwarted an extortion activity of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) after engaging about five of them in a firefight in Sitio Ania Dos, Brgy Winaswasan, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, on Sunday, December 5, an Army press release said.
Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, 79IB commander, said an encounter broke out while the troops were conducting combat operation in response to information from concerned citizens on the presence of armed men reportedly conducting extortion activities in the area.
“Our troops received information from concerned citizens that a group of armed men were threatening and collecting food by force from the residents, not only in barangay Winaswasan but also in the neighboring barangays,” Javines said.
The rebels fled in different directions after a seven minute firefight. No casualty was reported on the government side while the rebels were believed to have suffered casualties based on the traces of bloodstains in their route of withdrawal, the press release said.
“Pursuit operations against the communist terrorists are still ongoing and close coordination with other government forces were already conducted while the neighboring stations were also alerted for possible interception of the fleeing rebels, who scampered at the height of the firefight,” Javines added.*