This came as elements of the 50th Infantry Battalion based in Ilocos Sur chanced upon around 10 NPA guerrillas in a remote barangay in Suyo town, conducting "teach-ins" among civilian villagers.
Lt. Col. Raymundo Ramones said his men could not fire any shot at the withdrawing rebels because they took with them several civilians as human shields when they retreated to avoid the government troopers.
Large formation of Army troopers spent millions of war materiel in engaging NPA guerrillas in Northern Luzon provinces, especially in the Cordillera, during the late ’80s and early ’90s.
Counter-insurgency operations shifted to Southern Philippines after government reported they have broken down the rebel structure in Northern Luzon.
Army Col. Ricardo Nobleza, commanding officer of the 503rd Infantry Brigade based in Tayum town, Abra province said that the rebels have stepped up their ideological, political and organizational (IPO) work in Region 1 and Cordillera with a 4.5-percent increase of rebel strength.
"This will surely affect the peace and order situation in these regions," Nobleza said.
Nobleza also noted that NPA guerrillas in these regions are increasingly making their presence felt by frequenting rebel strongholds in large groups, especially within the boundaries of Ilocos Sur and Mountain Province.
Maj. Elmer Quiros, commander of the Civil Relations Group of the AFP in Ilocos and Cordillera, revealed that NPA guerrillas are also targeting civilian government officials for liquidation.
Last April, Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur Mayor Teodoro Hernaez was killed by a Sparrow Unit of the Ilocos Sur-based Alfredo Cesar Command of the NPA. They charged Hernaez with being a despotic landlord who exploited landless farmers in his hometown.
On Aug. 31, NPA guerrillas reportedly ambushed 10 Department of Agriculture employees in Cabugao town, Ilocos Sur wounding two of them.
Intelligence reports said the NPAs were demanding revolutionary taxes from the agency.