SAF, suspected NPA members clash in Samar —PNP

The Philippine National Police on Wednesday said its Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) troopers encountered suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Calbayog City, Samar on Tuesday.

In a statement, PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas said no casualties were reported on the side of police, while there were undetermined casualties on the part of the NPA rebels.

He said the troops from PNP SAF 123rd Special Action Company of the 12th Special Action Battalion clashed with the suspected NPA fighters during a 10-day counter-insurgency operation in the mountainous part of Barangay Salvacion.

According to Sinas, the rebels were involved in extortion activities.

Among the recovered at the encounter site were the following:

• one unit M16 Elisco rifle with defaced serial number
• one improvised homemade double zero shotgun
• two long steel M16 magazines
• one short steel M16 magazine
• one KG9 magazine
• one silencer suppressor
• one chest rig
• 35 rounds of 5.56 live ammunition
• eight rounds of KG9 live ammunition
• three rounds of 12-gauge shotgun ammunition
• one ISO back pack

According to the PNP, the operating troops are moving to the next target together with the recovered items.

“The PNP is duty-bound to protect the Filipino people and the country from the relentless terror plots of the Communist  Groups,” Sinas said.

“We will continue to hunt them down and we will never tolerate their utter disregard of the rule of law,” he added. — BM, GMA News