By Ben Serrano
Correspondent

BUTUAN CITY—Carrying out a preemptive strike, government troops successfully thwarted a planned attack of Maoist guerillas on a government project in a hinterland village in Agusan del Sur. Soldiers from the 26th Infantry Battalion (26IB) of the Fourth Infantry Division (4ID), Philippine Army encountered at least 20 New People’s Army (NPA) combatants in Sitio Tagbulete, Barangay Del Monte, Veruela, Agusan del Sur province, Saturday noon.

Commanding officer of the 26IB, Lt. Col. Rolando Dumawa said they launched the offensive after a concerned citizen tipped them off about a supposed plan of Maoist insurgents to attack a squad of their soldiers who were securing an on-going construction of a farm-to-market road project in the area and to burn the heavy equipment used in the road project. “Luckily we were informed by the civilians and was able to contain said planned NPA attack that could have cost lives and properties” Dumawa said.

In a press statement, 4ID spokesman Capt. Joe Patrick A. Martinez said the Maoist combatants the government troops encountered were from the Guerilla Front Committee 3, under the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee of the New People’s Army (NPA)—the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NDFP).

“Civilians in the area saw the escaping NPA rebels carrying their wounder and dead comrades. Our soldiers recovered four high powered firearms an M653, one AK-47, (and) two M16 armalite rifles,” a text message sent over the weekend by Martinez read.

Dumawa said he has already ordered a pursuit operation. “The NPAs are trying to sabotage the programs that will help develop our people in the area. They are deliberately depriving our people of these projects to maintain the status quo in the area of lack of government interventions so that they can easily recruit and deceive new members. We will protect the people in my area and will never let these NPAs pursue their selfish interests,” Col. Alexander L. Macario, Commander of 401st Infantry Brigade, said.

In the same press statement, 4ID commander Major General Oscar T. Lactao thanked the concerned citizen who tipped off the supposed attack of the Maoist guerillas. “We were able to disrupt the plans of these criminals. I congratulate the gallant soldiers who successfully thwarted enemy plans,” the 4ID statement quoted Lacato as saying.