An encounter erupted between the forces of the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) known as the Katapatan Battalion and the suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in San Isidro town on Dec. 28, 2022.
In a post, the 47th IB reported that an encounter happened at around 10 am on Wednesday at sitio Bajong, barangay Baunos, San Isidro town.
The Bohol Police Provincial Office and the local police station both confirmed that, indeed, there was an encounter between the two forces in the said area.
As of press time there is no casualty reported in the side of the soldiers. On the other hand, it could not be determined if there is any casualty on the side of the NPA.
Reports say that the clash erupted as a result of the soldiers’ response to a tip from the local residents alleging that alleging that armed men (not the soldiers) are engaging in extortion activities in the area. The soldiers than promptly responded to the tip, resulting to an encounter between the two (2) groups at around 10 a.m. of December 28.
The same source of reports say that the 47th IB engaged in clash with some persons who are believed to be remnants of the Bohol Party Committee, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor of the New People’s Army.
Recovered in the encounter site were rounds of ammunitions for caliber 45 pistol, ammunition for AK-47 rifle, magazine for caliber 45 pistol, Poncho tents; medical paraphernalia, food packs, personal belongings, and subversive documents, the reports say.
“As part of our ongoing efforts to put an end to the local communist armed conflict and stop their recovery efforts in Bohol Island, the residents’ willingness to assist the soldiers by providing noteworthy information on the whereabouts and activities of these NPA terrorists is extremely helpful,” Lt Col Allyson Depayso, the commanding officer of 47IB said.
Moreover, Depayso assured the people that the Army in Bohol will continue to battle bravely and boldly against NPAs to uphold a just and lasting peace on the island.
In a related development, reports say that the police of San Isidro already provided a blocking force and additional forces to arrest and neutralize any NPA member who is trying to escape from the scene of the clash and who is hiding somewhere.
The last time a clash occurred in Bohol was in 2021 where about 4 suspected communist-terrorist group members died in Bilar town leaving a soldier injured.
Usually, the NPA conduct offensives against the government troops every December 26 which is the anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines. It is possible that the latest encounter is part of the celebration of the anniversary of the communist group.
While Bohol has been declared since 2010 as “insurgency-free”, authorities say that there are still remnants of the communist-terrorist group in the province and these remnants are trying to regain their lost glory in Bohol.
Military authorities also stated that the NPA is already incapable of launching sustained offensives in Bohol.
Meanwhile, prior to his departure from Bohol as he retired from the service, former Bohol police provincial director Col. Osmundo Salibo mentioned that the remnants of the communist-terrorist group in Bohol have no capacity to conduct a sustained offensive.
In fact, Salibo said that the NPA could no longer be considered a major security threat in Bohol.
He also exposed that, indeed, the NPAs allegedly resort to extortion activities and are no longer driven by ideologies, just like what they practiced before. This statement was seconded by Major Jason Torino of the 47th IB who joined Salibo in a media forum back in September 2022.
Salibo added that Bohol is “almost insurgency-free” as there are a few armed men who remain loitering in the province.
Meanwhile, a certain Jose Ignacio who claims to be a media liaison of the National Democratic Front in Bohol wrote in an unsigned email that the government should go back to the negotiating table and talk peace.
Ignacio said the armed struggle in Bohol is part of the national protracted war and the local peace talks are useless.