At a distance of five meters, a unit of the New People’s Army (NPA)-Leyte Island (Mt. Amandewin Command) fired at the fascist troops of the 14th IB in the town of Javier, Leyte at 7 a.m. on October 15. The Marcos regime butcher soldiers reportedly suffered many casualties.

The 14th IB unit was conducting a so-called combat-clearing operation in the hills and rivers between Barangay Odiong and Barangay Caraye in Javier. The operation was part of the 14th IB’s broader combat operations in the villages of Javier and Abuyog towns.

“The NPA’s attritive action proves the persistence of Red fighters and the entire revolutionary movement in Leyte island,” NPA-Leyte Island spokesperson Ka Dodong Malaya stated. He said the NPA-Leyte neutralizes the 802nd IBde’s attacks by relying on the mass line and advancing guerrilla tactics.

NPA-Leyte Island also expressed gratitude for the island masses’ strong support and assistance for the people’s army in carrying out tactical offensives against the fascist troops whose hands are stained with blood.

A day after the armed action, the 14th IB had yet to release any statement or report on the said attack. It is a common military tactic to conceal engagements, especially when recording many casualties within their ranks.

In Leyte province, the Marcos regime declared in June that 17 towns and cities were under the category of Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC) or insurgency-free. Although Javier was not included, many of its neighboring towns and cities were on the list.