Bohol remains to be insurgency-free despite the clash that happened on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, between suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and troops from the Philippine Army (PA), according to the spokesperson of the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB).
In a report, 1Lt. Elma Grace Remonde, the Civil Military Relations Officer of the 47th IB said that the communist terrorist group (CTG) has yet to regain their former strength and influence in the province even if there are encounters that happen from time to time here.
Bohol was declared as insurgency-free about 10 years ago by military and defense officials after the NPA’s influence here dwindled and has become insignificant.
Boholanos were surprised to learn about the encounter that took place on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 at barangay Cabacnitan, Bilar town, where 5 alleged rebels were killed and an Army trooper was hurt in the incident.
Furthermore, the same report says that Romeo Sambrano Nabas, identified as the vice commanding officer of the Sandatahang Yunit Propaganda (SYP) platoon of the Bohol Party Committee (BPC) allegedly was the mastermind in the assassinations of a purported Army asset and the ambush of rebel returnees in barangay Aloja, Batuan.
Meanwhile, Remonde said that the remains of the five suspected NPA rebels were turned over to their respective families.
The bodies of Nabas, Joseph Bautista, Marvin Terig, Edionela Nuera and Junrey Bucar were first brought by Army troopers to a funeral home in Sagbayan before the said remains were turned over to the suspected rebels’ respective families.
It can be recalled that a firefight between the PA and the suspected NPAs started at around 5:45 a.m. on Tuesday, May 25, 2021. About 11 suspected NPA members engaged in a firefight with government troops belonging to the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB).
About 6 rebels were able to flee from the encounter site and now being pursued by law enforcers, according to a police report.