Army foils NPA’s plan to disrupt gov’t livelihood opportunities in Can-avid, E. Samar

By DPAO, 8ID PA
October 20, 2020

CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City, Samar – The government troops repelled Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs) who were planning to disrupt the implementation of government’s livelihood trainings in two remote villages of Can-avid, Eastern Samar in a gunfight about 10A.M., October 20, 2020 in Barangay Salvacion, Can-avid, Eastern Samar.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Joven D Bugarin, Commanding Officer of 52nd Infantry Battalion, soldiers were sent in order to conduct security operations for the upcoming Agrikultura at Kabuhayan tungo sa Kaunlaran at Kapayapaan (AKKAP) Project launching on Thursday, October 22, 2020 in barangays of Boco and Balagon of Can-avid.

However, during the conduct of security operations the troops clashed with more or less 25 CNTs in Barangay Salvacion, Can-avid, Eastern Samar who scampered to different directions after the 15-minute firefight.

Three soldiers were wounded while an undetermined casualty was reported on the CNT’s side.

“Traces of bloodstains in the area they abandoned suggest that many in the NPA were wounded,” said LtCol. Bugarin.

Utilizing K9 teams, recovered were two anti-personnel mines (APM), blasting caps, and electrical wires that will be used by the NPA to sow terror.

To recall, on December 13, 2019, three innocent civilians were killed while 14 were wounded including two minors and an infant caused by NPA's roadside bombing in Barangay Libuton, Borongan City, Eastern Samar. While on April 2019, a nine-year-old boy died in another NPA bombing in Barangay San Miguel, Las Navas, Northern Samar. And recently, four civilians including two teachers were also wounded in an ambush in Barangay Tagbayaon, Jiabong, Samar.

“This only shows how cruel and heartless the NPA’s are. They ignore the safety of the civilians and put their lives at risk for their own gain,” LtCol. Bugarin added.

The livelihood training under AKKAP is part of the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) program in order to address the insurgency problem in the remote Barangays in the town of Can-avid. At the same time, offer livelihood opportunities to the residents who have been suffering from poverty.

The Commander of 801st Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Camilo Z Ligayo said the collaboration among the military, Local Government Units and different Government agencies were already in place but the CNTs hinder the implementation of the government programs and projects.