New People’s Army (NPA)-Masbate (Jose Rapsing Command) units valiantly defended against the 2nd IB and 96th IB raid attempts on their camps in the towns of Uson and Baleno last week. The Red army’s active defense actions reportedly killed seven soldiers and injured seven others.

On November 22, the NPA-Masbate units prepared and defended against the 2nd IB troopers approaching their temporary camp in Sitio Pile, Barangay San Jose, Uson. Contrary to military reports that the firefight lasted 20 minutes, the exchange of fire only lasted five minutes as the soldiers cowardly scampered in fear from the Red fighters’ counter-assault.

Residents witnessed soldiers transporting their fallen comrades by carabaos. The 2nd IB desperately hid its casualties from public view, as is their usual practice.

“Instead of honoring their fallen, the military shamefully hides their casualties. The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) indeed has no respect for lives even of their own soldiers and respective families,” NPA-Masbate spokesperson Ka Luz del Mar said.

On November 20, another NPA-Masbate unit also successfully defended itself against a 96th IB attack on their post in Barangay Cancahorao, Baleno. One Red fighter was captured after the battle. Ka Luz demanded that the rights of the capured fighter be respect as a hors de combat.

“We are concerned for the life of Ka Leon. The military’s hypocritical show of concern for Ka Leon’s life is a mere humanitarian facade. Ka Leon’s life is now even more precarious in the hands of the military,” the spokesperson stated.

In light of the NPA-Masbate units’ active defenses, Ka Luz declared that the people’s army units in the province should maintain the initiative gained from these counter-ambushes by launching tactical offensives to further weaken the military and to seize their weapons.

Additionally, he called on the NPA units in the province to remain on high alert amin the AFP’s desperate attempts to claim “success” before the end of 2024.