Read in: Waray

The New People’s Army in Northern Samar (Rodante Urtal Command or NPA-RUC) today reported that it launched consecutive sniping operations against troops of the 20th Infantry Battalion who have been harassing peasant communities in Las Navas last July 8.

Ka Amado Pesante, spokesperson for the NPA-RUC, said that Red fighters sniped at 20th IB troops in Barangay San Jose at around 9:35AM. Later that day, they also sniped at enemy troops in Barangay Epaw.

According to the NPA-RUC, such was the panic of the fascist troops that they retaliated by thrice firing a 105mm howitzer toward the area and indiscriminately firing their rifles in the air to intimidate the NPA. But they only wasted their bullets as the Red fighters have already left the area.

The 20th IB previously used their howitzer and machine guns to strike back at the NPA after a series of guerrilla offensives in the same cluster of barangays last June 18 to 19. Not long after, the soldiers fled the barrios in fear and returned only earlier this month to yet again harass the residents.

Residents complained to the NPA-RUC that soldiers have been forcibly entering their homes and forcing them to surrender. The NPA-RUC thus fired at the enemy troops, among them active military asset and traitor to the masses Christian “Nads” Sabado.

To avoid retaliation by state forces, most residents of San Jose, Epaw and nearby Sag-od have already evacuated out of their villages.

Pesante condemned the intensifying abuses by the 20th IB against the masses. “We urge the Commission on Human Rights and other rights-based organizations to look into the military’s abuses. They must hold them accountable for violating the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.”

He added, “Let this serve as a reminder that the NPA-RUC is more than ready to heed the urgent demand of the people to launch more tactical offensives, punish the worst criminal offenders and traitors of the masses, and attain revolutionary justice for the people.”#