Military launches air strikes vs NPAs in Compostela Valley

The military launched massive air strikes on well-entrenched positions of the New People’s Army in Compostela Valley yesterday in support of the ground troops locked up in battle with the communist insurgents in the area since Friday.

Brig. Gen. Arturo Ortiz, SF commander said the air strike was aimed at dislodging a platoon of NPA rebels led by Reynaldo Alicaba alias Kumander Imong still holed up at Sitio Cebule, Barangay Kapatagan, Laak, Compostela Valley.

Early Friday morning, SF troops led by 1Lt. Allan Vildosola, after intense fighting overran an NPA camp in the area and captured Kumander Imong’s revolutionary wife Ruth Alicaba.

Using sniffing dogs from the Army’s K-9 unit, the troops pursued the fleeing rebels and caught up with the insurgents at about 10:30 a.m. yesterday just within the area triggering another round of heavy skirmishes.

“Ground fighting is still ongoing with our Air Force planes conducting massive air strikes on rebel positions,” said Maj. Armando Rico, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom).

Rico said the rebels suffered heavy casualties in the air strikes while a certain Pfc. Semilla, was slightly wounded by a sniper fire. The wounded soldier was evacuated to a nearby hospital.

The rebels abandoned five backpacks and an improvised explosive device (IED) from their previously occupied embankment which SF troops were able to occupy.

Meanwhile, Maj. Roy Or­quia, 3rd SF commander, reported that as fighting prog­ressed in Barangay Kapatagan, his men on blocking and combat operations in the tri-boundary of Laac-Montevista-Monkayo also encountered undetermined number of NPA guerrillas.

Earlier this week, the military have poured more troops in Davao areas and Central Mindanao to prevent the communist insurgents from taking advantage of the depleting number of troops due to the concentration of military offensive in Central Mindanao against the recalcitrant MILF leaders.

Names of the NPA family were not immediately made public for security reasons but they were immediately given medical attention, according to Maj. Gen. Jogy Leo Fojas, chief of the Army’s 10th Division.

Fojas said the troops clashed with 30 NPA guerrillas under the Sub-Regional Guerilla Unit of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee led by Reynaldo Alicaba alias Imong and Marilou Saco.

The encounter came while the military troops intensified its offensive against the rebels who were reportedly building up while the military focused their offensive in Central Mindanao against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) militants that attacked the two provinces of North Cotabato and Lanao del Norte.

Fojas said the fighting ensued for 15 minutes before the rebels retreated with suspected casualties as signs of bloodstains were seen at the withdrawal routes.

“Pursuing troops discovered the two NPA dependents – a wife and son – ducked in one of the bunkers. The discovery was really heart wrenching because the rebels disregarded the value of family just to perpetrate their terrorism activities,” Fojas said.

The recovered NPA dependents were given debriefing before they will be handed over to the social welfare office for proper custody.