Pangasinan town folks fear for lives as NPA, army clash

By Lizle Basa Inigo and Venus May H. Sarmiento

MANGATAREM, Pangasinan – A fierce encounter between the New People’s Army and the military here on Nov.  24 had residents fearing for their lives.
    Mangatarem Mayor Ramil P. Ventenilla expressed alarm over the encounter that broke out at around 5 a.m.
    Footages of the encounter went viral that instilled fear among the people who were afraid of being caught in the crossfire between about 40 heavily armed members of Komiteng Larangang Gerilya (KLG) and soldiers of the 702nd Brigade near the boundary with Tarlac.
    It was reported that the military deployed howitzer cannons to provide support for its ground troops, firing at least six rounds at around 7 a.m.
    Meanwhile a military report said hot pursuit operation was underway to hunt down members of the NPA group.
    There was still no reported casualty as of press time.
    The military dispatched some personnel in Barangay Andangin in Mangatarem in the encounter site.
    Army soldiers seized the NPA camp after the 30-minute firefight that erupted early Tuesday morning.
    In a report released by the Northern Luzon Command, the engaged scout unit was confirming intelligence reports from indigenous peoples living close to the camp about NPA presence.
    Brigadier General Audrey Pasia, commander of the 702nd Infantry Brigade who supervised the operations, said his soldiers requested for artillery fire support after finding themselves outnumbered against an estimated 40 heavily armed communist terrorists hiding in the mountains of Barangay Lawak Langka.
    “Our forces are still scouring the area.  Additional forces were flown in by helicopters to provide close air support and reinforce the engaged troops,” Brig. Gen. Pasia said in the statement.
    Follow on forces and K-9 assets have been deployed to conduct pursuit operations against the other fleeing NPAs while checkpoints have been established along possible exit routes, he added.
    Major General Alfredo Rosario, commander of the 7th Infantry Division, said government soldiers were prepared to engage the NPA in clashes.
    Meanwhile, Nolcom commander Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. expressed optimism that this encounter will make the remaining NPA guerillas to choose peace over conflict, avail of government grants under the Enhanced - Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and lead normal lives together with their families.