A unit of the New People’s Army (NPA)-Mindoro (Lucio de Guzman Command) sniped at a S70i BlackHawk helicopter of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and prevented it from landing in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on January 9.

The helicopter was about to land at Sitio Mantay, Barangay Monte Claro to transport officers of the AFP Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) when the incident took place. The said officers, which include AFP Solcom commander Lt. Gen. Antonio Parlade, Jr., were set to facilitate the forced surrender of residents in the area.

Parlade was left with no other choice but to walk to the next barrio while surrounded by a phalanx of soldiers to escape the area.

Meanwhile, a Huey (UH-1H) of the AFP crashed at Sitio Nahigit, Barangay Bulonay, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon on January 16. The helicopter was sighted six times conducting reconnaissance and delivering supplies to operating troopers in the boundaries of Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon. Due to the incident, the Departmet of National Defense ordered a temporary stop to the use of Huey helicopters.