Army men hunt two NPA squads in clash

HUNGDUAN, Ifugao -- New People’s Army guerillas who clashed with the 54th Infantry Battalion (54th IB) here in Barangay Naggulunan, Hungduan, Ifugao last week are now being hunted by government forces.

The NPA rebels reportedly operate in the tri-boundary of Ilocos, Benguet, and Mountain Province.

At least two squads composed of 15 rebels reportedly fled to Sabangan in haste after encountering soldiers from the 54th IB for five minutes in Barangay Naggulunan, Hungduan, Ifugao.

Maj. Noriel Tayaban, of 5th ID, said when soldiers patrolled in the area, they encountered the “Kilusang Larangang  Gerilya Marco” guerillas who opened fire.

Tayaban said Mt. Province officials have declared communist rebels “persona non grata”.

Brig. Gen. Laurence Mina, commanding general of the 5th ID, said Mt. Province and Ifugao provincial officials support and cooperate with government security forces against communist rebels.

Three days ago, top ranking communist movement leader Jacinto Faroden, allegedly first deputy secretary of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA, who has the nom de guerre as “Ka Digbay,” turned himself in to soldiers and policemen after a series of negotiations for over a year in Bontoc, Mt. Province.

Faroden was also the commanding officer of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG) BAMPIS (Benguet, Abra-Mt. Province-Ilocos Sur) quad boundary, who carried a P5.8-million reward for various crimes committed in Mt. Province and other provinces in the Cordillera.

Negotiations for his surrender started as early as March in 2019 by military and police forces stationed in the Cordillera.
Mina thanked Faroden for his decision to surrender, and said: “His brave act of a top ICRC leader is a welcome development and an encouragement to the remaining NPAs to lay down their arm and live in genuine peace.   If a top cadre like Ka Digbay gave up with the organization that he thought could bring social justice and equality for all then why others could not? And so, I enjoin the deceived NPAs to follow the move of Ka Digbay and choose to live in the right path.”

Last June,  AnnieTauli, alleged secretary of the ICRC,  also surrendered to National Security Adviser  Hermogenes Esperon in Baguio City.