NPAs harass Army peace, dev’t team in Albay town

MANILA, Philippines - Soldiers involved in peace and development projects were harassed by New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in Guinobatan, Albay on Wednesday morning, according to Army reports.

A team of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Battalion encountered the rebels in Sitio Danao, Barangay Ongo, triggering a firefight, the reports said.

Government troops did not suffer casualties in the clash that lasted for just a minute. The military, however, could not say if the insurgents had casualties.

Lt. Col. Medel Aguilar, spokesman of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said all military development teams have been alerted against possible NPA retaliation.

“The harassment launched by the NPA accomplished nothing but disturbed the peace which the people enjoy in Sitio Danao,” he said. 

The attack happened more than a week after NPA rebels seized five soldiers performing development projects in Paquibato district in Davao City.

The kidnapped soldiers were reportedly unarmed and were in civilian attire. Military forces in Davao are now conducting operations against their captors.