By Ka ARIS FRANCISCO
Spokesperson, NPA Comval-North Davao-South Agusan Subregional Command
NPA Southern Mindanao
The New People’s Army has mounted four counter-offensive actions against the 25th, 46th, and the 72nd Infantry Battalions last 20 and 22 June, that killed eight enemy troops and wounded 10 more in Laak and Monkayo towns in Compostela Valley, and in San Isidro town, Davao del Norte.
This as the Eastern Mindanao Command (of the Armed Forces of the Philippines) stepped up its counter-revolutionary operations over the last week that saw the following troops deployment in the NPA subregional jurisdiction: nine platoons in Laak, six platoons in Monkayo, troops deployment in almost all barangays (villages) of Veruela town, three platoons in Loreto town, and three platoons in Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
The intense AFP operations follow the killing rampage against civilians, Wilfredo Estrebillo and Flaviano Morales, who were felled by AFP bullets in two separate incidents in Davao del Norte this month.
On 22 June at 6:00am, the NPA outmanuevered the 72nd Infantry Battalion in a counter-raid, by discharging command detonated explosives that killed one of the fascist troops and wounded three others in sitio Mabuhay, Barangay Dacudao, San Isidro, Davao del Norte. A Red fighter, Ka Jackjack was martyred. Hours later, at 3:00pm, the NPA mounted an attritive action by launching another explosive operation, killing five members of the 46th Infantry Battalion, and wounding four others in Barangay Ampawid, Laak.
Earlier, on 20 June, at 5:30am, the NPA discharged its explosives against the 25th Infantry Battalion; two fascist troops were killed and one wounded in sitio Saog, Barangay San Isidro, Monkayo. At 9:45 am, a platoon of the same enemy unit was also hit in sitio Anagase, Barangay Casoon, Monkayo; two soldiers were wounded.
As the enemy scours the hinterland villages of Sta. Josefa, Loreto and Veruela towns in Agusan del Sur; Monkayo, Montevista, and Laak towns in Compostela Valley; and Kapalong and San Isidro towns in Davao del Norte, peasants and Lumads continue to suffer from enemy intimidation, psychological warfare and interrogation.
The NPA defends the masses by hitting the enemy through effective guerrilla warfare and launching military actions, and waging mass campaigns like increasing food sufficiency, and combatting logging and other environmentally destructive projects.
It is sheer arrogance and waste of people’s money on the part of the AFP for intensifying its Oplan Bayanihan operations when it cannot reverse the tide of revolutionary struggle. As the US-Aquino regime become more rabid against the NPA, the more they become mercenary and anti-people, the more they are isolated and hated by the masses.
