‘Northern Samar clash fatalities major blow to CPP-NPA’

MANILA, Philippines — The Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) suffered a major blow with the death of seven suspected guerrillas in a firefight in Bobon, Northern Samar on Sunday, the military said yesterday.

“The neutralization of the communist rebels on Sunday further weakened the communist terrorist group,” Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, chief of the Visayas Command, said.

Arevalo commended the troopers of the Army’s 803rd Infantry Brigade under Joint Task Force Storm for the successful operation.

“Justice is served for the countless lives who suffered and the billions worth of damage caused by the atrocities perpetrated by the CPP-NPA in Eastern Visayas,” Arevalo said.

Aside from the remains of the rebels, the soldiers recovered firearms, improvised explosive devices and subversive documents at the scene of the firefight.

“This latest debacle is proof of a leadership vacuum in the NPA. The members are disoriented, the lack of operational direction resulted in deaths,” Arevalo said.

He urged the “few remaining” NPA guerrillas in the Visayas to surrender.