The encounter came after the convoy composed of 10 personnel on board 2 vehicles while enroute to Cagayan de Oro City saw the unaware NPAs clad in military uniform along the highway starting to coerce the plying motorist and establishing road block thereat.
The NPAs withdrew toward unknown direction after the brief firefight. Pursuit Operations are now being undertaken by Joint Task Force Haribon.
The members of the convoy were about to preposition in Cagayan De Oro in view of the scheduled visit of PRRD to different military camps to boost the morale of the troops involved in the operation against the terrorist Maute Group.
Five were wounded and immediately brought to German Doctors Hospital, Buda, Marilog District, Davao City. They were identified as:
1. SSg Arniel L Matunhay
2. Sgt Gerry N Torsar
3. Cpl Rodel A Ledesma
4. Cpl Ayam P Alia
5. SSg Lisondra
Accordingly, one CAFGU identified as Ben Pandia was liquidated by the NPA prior to the encounter. Likewise, a 60-year-old man was abducted by the fleeing NPAs.
The pursuing troops from 39IB and CAFGUs from 72IB encountered the fleeing NPAs at about 9 o’clock in the morning at Sitio Midsacan Barangay Napalico, Arakan, North Cotabato that led to the death of one NPA which was recovered at 1 o’clock in the afternoon of the same day.
The NPAs have been deceptively targeting civilians and soft targets to divert the troops who are focusing in the conduct of Community Support Program to ensure the well-being of the people in the communities.
It can be recalled that on July 18, 2017 at around 10 o clock in the morning 10 NPAs entered the Mamsar Industrial Corporation at Sitio Bioborjan, Brgy Rizal, Surigao City, and burned down three equipment: one Backhoe; one Forklift; and one Multicab. The NPAs also took two shotguns from the security guard of the said business establishment.
Likewise, yesterday July 18, 2017 at 5 o’clock in the afternoon three armed men believed to be NPA members ransacked the house of Emmanuel "Boy" Suarez, Vice Mayor of Cortes, SDS, at Sitio Lubcon, Brgy, Mabahin, Cortes, SDS and abducted him. The NPAs later released the Vice Mayor after he was coerced and intimidated.
Relative to this, the Eastern Mindanao Command directed subordinate subordinate units to further intensify security operations to protect communities, vital infrastructure and economic endeavor in Eastern Mindanao after NPA-initiated atrocities and armed engagements took place in the Command's area of responsibility.
The Command has been proactive in the conduct of security operations in the countryside for the past days and all units within the area were alerted after the announcement of Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella and PDG Ronald Dela Rosa on the plan of the NPA to conduct atrocities nationwide.
"While we focus on preventing terrorism to happen in Eastern Mindanao, we shall be steadfast in our commitment to secure the communities from other threats particularly NPAs," the directive stated.
The directive likewise calls for the strengthening of the security of different installations, post and the people centered Community Support Program which facilitate the delivery of basic services in tandem with other government agencies and CSOs.
Our momentum of facilitating the services to the communities should not be hampered by any atrocities to be carried out by the NPAs.
The directive likewise reemphasizes the adherence to the rule of law and respect of human rights.