A band of New People’s Army or NPA rebels blocked and engaged in a 50-minute encounter with the soldiers who were on their way to respond to those affected by typhoon Ulysses in Macalelon, Quezon on Thursday, November 12.
The Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion (85th IB) forces encountered about 20 rebels under the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC) Platoon Sol and Japson, led by a certain Mitch. The NPA rebels were reportedly attempting to extort from Barangay Lahing residents in Macalelon town.
The soldiers were supposed to support other ground forces for a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) mission when they encountered the NPA rebels.
According to Brig. Gen. Norwyn Romeo Tolentino, commander of the 201st Infantry Brigade (201st IB), the troops recovered an improvised explosive device (IED), four magazines, a bandolier, and various enemy war paraphernalia that was left by the terrorists.
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NPA rebels block soldiers responding to Ulysses victims
“There was no casualty recorded on the part of the security forces, while the casualty count among the NPAs is being validated by the troops who are still conducting pursuit operations,” he added.
Maj. Gen. Greg Almerol, head of the Army’s Second Division, directed his troops to be on guard even while conducting humanitarian activities as NPA terrorists could take advantage of calamities to terrorize people.
“No words will ever be enough to express our disgust over the NPA’s unacceptable act in threatening the communities and endangering their lives instead of joining the government’s cause in helping the people amid the devastation brought about by Typhoon Ulysses,” he said.
Almerol said that 702 soldiers and 91 military trucks were deployed across Southern Tagalog for HADR missions in areas greatly affected by Ulysses, most especially in Rodriguez and Tanay, among others.
As of yesterday, Ulysses re-intensified into a typhoon and is now outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), Pagasa reported.
Ulysses is the 21st weather disturbance and the eight in the past two months to hit the Philippines.