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Up to 33 soldiers of the Philippine Army were killed in two separate tactical offensives by Red fighters in Compostela Valley and Isabela in January and February. Forty-three government troops were likewise wounded. In Compostela Valley. Claims by Maj. Gen. Samuel Bagasin, Philippine Army 4th ID chief, that 14 NPA members were killed by his men in a firefight in Mt. Diwalwal, Compostela Valley on February 5 are an outright lie. Thus stated Merardo Arce Command (MAC) spokesperson Rigoberto Sanchez. The MAC is Southern Mindanao's regional NPA command. In a statement, the MAC charged the military with telling the exact opposite of what actually happened to cover up its losses in the battlefield. No Red fighter was killed or wounded in the gunbattle  The Red fighters seized an M60 machine gun, 2,500 bullets, an M16, several backpacks and a map showing the scope of the military operation. Before the ambush, a team under the RTC launched a military action, killing a soldier from the 36th IB. The MAC said that the 36th IB and all military units deployed before it served as protectors of foreign mining interests in Mt. Diwalwal. The NPA attacks prompted Arroyo to cancel her scheduled visit to a miners' community in Mt. Diwalwal. The 36th IB has likewise been pulled out and replaced with another unit. In Isabela. Up to 27 troops belonging to the 45th IB Charlie Company were killed in an ambush by Red fighters on January 24 in Sitio Kayangading, Dicamay Uno, Jones, Isabela. This is contrary to a statement by Brig. Gen. Napoleon Malana, 502nd Infantry Brigade chief, that "three to ten NPA members" were killed while the reactionary military sustained no casualties. In a report, Victor Servidores, spokesperson of the Fortunato Camus Command (FCC) of the NPA-Northeastern Luzon said that the 45th IB has been launching large-scale military operations in the towns of Jones, Echague and San Guillermo since mid-January. The military detected the presence of a platoon under the NPA Benito Tesorio Command launching a mass campaign against large-scale logging in Isabela's Forest Region. On the morning of January 24, a Philippine Army platoon detached from two other platoons conducting house to house searches in Barangay Dicamay Uno. Because of the timely and continuous stream of information from the barriofolk on the enemy's movements, the Red fighters were able to prepare quickly and assume ambush positions. Using binoculars, they spotted the AFP platoon approaching the position they had taken in a forested area at around 7 a.m. Several minutes later, the fighting began. Twelve soldiers were instantly killed in the first volley of gunfire. The fighting lasted for one and a half hours. The two other platoons came to the rescue and rained rifle and mortar fire on the NPA position. Two OV-10 airplanes, an MG-520 helicopter, a Huey helicopter and two armored personnel carriers also arrived at the scene. But it was too late for them because the Red fighters had already retreated without suffering any casualties. The military reported that it had killed many guerrillas. Nevertheless, it could not hide from the people the 27 dead soldiers picked up by the helicopters, aside from the wounded. Military violence. Angered over the losses they sustained in the hands of the NPA, the military planted self-detonating land mines around the area of the encounter. The military manhandled and threatened a number of residents of Barangay San Isidro, Jones for allegedly harboring women NPA fighters. The FCC also charged the military with forcing a child to guide their operations. 
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