BOHOL, Philippines – The CPP-NPA Terrorists’ attempt to regain influence in Bohol has once again failed, as six of its members were killed, and seven high-powered firearms were seized in six successive encounters with the Army’s Task Group Bohol and the 47th Infantry Battalion in Sitio Ilaya, Barangay Campagao, Bilar, Bohol, on Thursday morning, September 07, 2023.
According to LTC Magno Mapalad III, Commanding Officer of the 47IB, the troops were conducting peace and security operations in response to the reported presence of armed NPAs in the area, when they encountered about nine remnants of the Bohol Party Committee, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (BPC KR-NCBS) under Domingo Compoc, Alias Eloy/Jing/Cobra.
The firefight lasted for about seven minutes, after which the enemy withdrew towards the south direction.
Another encounter occurred between the blocking force of the troops and the fleeing NPAs in Sitio Ilaya at about 8:28 a.m.
The relentless pursuit operations of the troops against the fleeing enemy resulted in another four consecutive encounters with the same group of NPAs in the same area.
These successive clashes resulted in the death of six NPAs, whose bodies were recovered from different encounter sites in Sitio Ilaya, along with the seizure of five (5) 5.56 rifles and two (2) AK47 rifles.
LTC Mapalad attributed the successful military operations to the vigilance and cooperation of the Bol-anons in providing information to the troops about any movement or attempt by the CPP-NPA terrorists to regain their influence in the province.
“Any attempt by the NPA to regain influence with the people of Bohol will not succeed because the people of Bohol are willing to support the soldiers by providing noteworthy information on the whereabouts and activities of these NPA terrorists,” Mapalad said.
“We urge the remnants of these NPAs to return to the folds of the law to avoid experiencing the same fate as their comrades suffered in previous encounters,” LTC Mapalad said.
On May 12, 2023, Alias Jasper, a political guide of NPA’s BPC, was also killed in an encounter with government forces in Antequera, Bohol.