The offensive against the New People’s Army will remain relentless even after the death of six soldiers in an encounter in Borongan, Eastern Samar, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said yesterday.
In a statement, Gen. Noel Clement, AFP chief of staff, expressed condolences to the bereaved families of soldiers who were killed-in-action during the encounter Monday in Sitio Bangon, Barangay Pinana-an.
Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, said ground commanders were directed by Clement to be “more prudent and circumspect” in the conduct of military campaigns.
“The NPAs, in their hopeless bid to project strength, will resort to all sorts of means, methods, and forms to inflict casualty on State security forces – even the ones who were merely responding to distress calls – like these soldiers who were waylaid after heeding request for help from folks being harassed by communist terrorists,” Arevalo said.
“We commit to run after the perpetrators of this treacherous affront on our troops out to protect our peoples’ democratic way of life and make those criminals pay for their actions,” he added.
