CATBALOGAN CITY, May 3 -- The Philippine Army here
has stepped up intelligence gathering in Eastern Visayas after the foiled
attack by the New People’s Army (NPA) at an army detachment in Hilomot village,
San Jose de Buan, Samar.
Major Gen. Raul Farnacio, commander of the Army’s
8th Infantry Division, said the attack on Monday dawn is alarming since it took
place just five kilometers away from the town center.
At least three armed rebels were killed during the
clash while five soldiers were hurt.
Government troops recovered a high powered firearm
and grenade. A day after the attack, soldiers found 10 kilograms of explosives
near the camp and subversive documents.
“I ordered our soldiers to intensify their
intelligence operation to prevent similar attacks.
This was a large scale and a
well-planned attack; however, the army unit foiled such attempt because of some
information given by civilians,” Farnacio said.
Hot pursuit operation against withdrawing rebel
troops is still ongoing, concentrating in the mountainous areas of San Jose de
Buan town, some 70 kilometers from this city, the provincial capital.
San Jose de Buan is a 4th class town in Samar
province with a population of 7,769 people living in 14 villages.
Samar is known to be one of the hotbeds of armed
rebels in the country. Several encounters between the army and NPA have been
reported in Samar in the past years. (Jazmin Bonifacio/PNA)
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