The New People’s Army launched at least seven victorious military actions against the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police in multiple areas across the provinces of Bukidnon, Negros, and Masbate in the past month.
In Sipalay City, the NPA-Southwest Negros ambushed and killed two intelligence agents of the AFP 47th Infantry Battalion on 24 November in Camindangan village. The NPA seized two calibre .45 pistols, ammunition, three magazines, two cellphones and one grenade. According to Andrea Guerrero, NPA-Southwest Negros spokesperson, the armed action serves as “a warning to all AFP and PNP spies and assets.”
Elsewhere on the island, the NPA-Central Negros mounted multiple sniping operations across different areas in Guihulngan City. NPA troops fired at the PNP substation in Trinidad village on 25 November and wounded a police officer. The NPA also fired at the Army Patrol Base in Sandayao village on 23 November wherein a soldier of the 62nd Infantry Battalion was wounded. On 21 November, the NPA also fired at two different units of the 62nd Infantry Battalion in Sitio Tuko, leaving at least two soldiers killed and another wounded.
In Bukidnon, in Mindanao island, the NPA fired at the operating troops of the AFP 8th Infantry Battalion in Purok 8, St. Peter village, Malaybalay City on 16 November, leaving one AFP soldier killed in action.
Meanwhile, the NPA-Masbate ambushed paramilitary CAFGU forces in Manlut-od village, in the town of Placer, on 7 November, leaving two CAFGU elements killed. According to NPA-Masbate spokesperson Luz del Mar, the ambush adds to the more than 20 NPA guerilla actions launched in the island-province this year. Del Mar said, “the people’s army’s demolition, snipe, harassment and ambush operations inflicted an almost platoon-size casualty against the AFP, PNP, and CAFGU.”
“These tactical offensives launched by the Red army aim to gradually weaken and frustrate the enemy’s military offensive as well as strengthen the masses’ determination to act and unite against the state’s armed oppression,” del Mar added.