Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 6) – Two leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed by government troops in Digos City, Davao del Sur Friday.
According to a report from the Eastern Mindanao Command Saturday, the fatalities were identified as Lesly Pulido and Roberto Castellote.
Pulido and Castellote were part of a group who figured in a firefight with members of the 39th Infantry Battalion in Sitio Lanan, Barangay Goma.
A report from Col. Adonis Bajao, commander of 1002nd Infantry Brigade, said the soldiers were fired upon while they were responding to a complaint from farmers saying the NPA’s presence were disturbing their farming activities.
The encounter is just the latest in successive similar incidents in the Davao Region.
The same soldiers from the 39th Infantry Battalion figured in an earlier encounter also with the NPA on April 1 in Colonsabak, Matanao, Davao Del Sur during a security patrol. No one was reported hurt in the incident
On April 3, community information also guided the sustained operations in Compostela Valley which led to another encounter between the troops of 71st Infantry Battalion (IB) and an undetermined number of NPA at Sitio De Oro, Barangay New Barili in the town of Maco.
The NPA members were the same group encountered by the same unit of 71st IB on March 28 and 31 at the boundary of Maco and Mabini, also in Compostela Valley. One person was wounded in the incident.
Based on a report made by Major Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., sustained security operations are being conducted in the area as the NPA were on the run after more communities tipping off their presence to authorities.
Lt. Gen Felimon T. Santos Jr., commander of the Eastmincom, said troops should take the cooperation of communities as a sign of wanting conflict to end.
“We should reciprocate it with our sustained operations to protect their right to live free from coercion from any terror group,” he said.
He also called on NPA members to lay down their arms and listen to people wanting peace.
“The people with their information is sending the message for you to abandon arm struggle and this is what we want to re-echo, surrender and avail of the integration program and let us bring together peace to the communities,” Lt Gen. Santos said.
