Government troops encounter terrorist NPA in Mahaplag, Leyte; One high powered firearm recovered

By DPAO, 8ID PA
September 27, 2019

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City – Government troops under 78th Infantry (Warrior) Battalion, 8th Infantry (Stormtroopers) Division, Philippine Army encountered more or less 15 Communist New People's Army terrorists at Sitio Tay- ong , Brgy. Pinamunoan, Mahaplag, Leyte on September 27, 2019 at 7:40AM.

Initial report reaching this Headquarters, stated that the troops were responding to the veracity of information provided by the populace on the presence of an armed group rummaging for food and conducting extortion in the outskirts of the aforesaid barangay. Through a deliberately planned operation, the 78IB Warriors caught up on the NPA group. Thus, the firefight lasted for about 20 minutes that resulted in the recovery of following: one (1) M16A1 Rifle, 130 rounds of live ammunitions (5.56), three (3) long magazines for M16, four (4) Short Magazines for M16, one (1) Improvised Explosive Device (IED), one (1) Cellular Phone, one (1) Handheld Radio (Baofeng), medical paraphernalia and subversive documents with high intelligence value while NPA terrorists scampered to different direction. There was no reported casualty on the government side while undetermined on the NPA side.

Pursuit operations are currently ongoing for the purpose of locating and putting an end to the violent activities of the pocket NPA group in Southern Leyte.