The desperate attempts of the US-Duterte regime to annihilate the revolutionary movement in North Eastern Mindanao Region (NEMR), continues. The high ranking officials of the AFP, especially the 4th ID, 401st, 402nd and 901st Bde are still fantasizing crushing the NPA in NEMR within the remaining half of 2020. The Duterte regime thus continue to squander large amounts of money on their military operations as if the country’s economic and health crisis has not been worsened by Covid19.

In Surigao del Sur, close to P100 million has been squandered in just four incidents of bombings using modern warfare equipment. They wrongly thought that by utilizing these ,the NPA will be annihilated, instead the enemy also incurred casualties.

The following are the counter-attacks of the NPA-SDS against military operations in Surigao del Sur:

Municipality of San Miguel
May 14: Brgy. Libas Sud- the enemy used FA50, Augusta attack helicopter, MG520, Huey helicopter and canons to bomb the temporary camp of the Comrades. Five (5) Red fighters were martyred. More than P25 million was spent by the enemy on this attack.

On the following days, three (3) snipe-harassments were launched (by the NPA) against the 3rd SFB and 75th IBPA troops who were on their way to clear the bombing site. They suffered one (1) fatality and several were wounded, all were transported in a helicopter.

May 18: Sitio Kiskis, Brgy. Siagao-there was an hour long firefight between the attacking 36th IBPA troops and members of the NPA-SDS. 2nd Lt. Danus was killed during the encounter and there were several wounded troops. Meanwhile, two (2) Comrades valiantly sacrificed their lives.

May 19: Sitio Kiskis, Brgy. Siagao-utilizing Agusta attack helicopter and MG520 gunship, the enemy extensively bombed the mountain areas. BHB-SDS safely evaded (the bombs).

Month of August: Brgy. Bitaugan- NPA-SDS launched military action against the 36th IB, 75th IB and 65th IB troops who were simultaneously launching combat operations in the mountain areas of the following barrios:

August 2, at around 10:30 in the morning: NPA-SDS harassed an enemy column, killing one (1) enemy and wounding another (1).

August 4, at 9 o’clock in the morning: NPA-SDS ambushed the same (enemy) column. According to reports, one (1) (enemy) was wounded and another one (1) was killed.

At around 4 in the afternoon-another sniping activity was launched by NPA -SDS against a different operating enemy column. One (1) enemy was wounded and one (1) was killed.

August 5, at 11 o’clock in the morning: NPA-SDS again harassed another AFP column killing one (1) enemy.

August 8 at around 4 o’clock in the afternoon: the NPA-SDS harassed the same enemy column who had set up camp. It was reported that two (2) were wounded and one (1) was killed on the side of the enemy.

Municipality of Carmen
July 30: Sitio Gacob, Brgy. Hinapuyan-the NPA-SDS discharged Command Detonated Explosives (CDX) against operating troops of the 36th IB in the mountain areas. Six (6) were killed from among the AFP and an undetermined number (of their troops) were wounded.

Municipality of Lianga
July 7, at 2:30 early morning: Sityo Panukmuan, Brgy. Diatagon- the 3rd SFB again launched bombings, spending another P50 million using FA50 bomber, Augusta attack helicopter, MG520, attack drones and canons. It targeted the temporary camp of the NPA-SDS killing two (2) Comrades. 1st Lt. Punsalan, CMO officer of the 3rd SFB claimed that the group tried to burn the IP-ED (Indigenous People-Education) school in Sitio Simowao, Brgy. Diatagon. The truth was that the (military) troops had been occupying the area including the neighboring community of Emerald for a long time. After the bombing, the (military) troops forcibly encamped in the communities of Km. 16 and Manluy-a in Brgy. Diatagon. They forced to surrender and arrested residents, accusing them of being NPA supporters.

Until present time, troops continue to position themselves in the center of the community. Despite the economic crisis brought about by COVID 19, the AFP/PNP continue to prevent the residents from going to their farms, go after persons who refused to “clear” their records or surrender and limiting the amount of rice and food they can buy.

Municiplaity of Tago
July 14: Brgy. Anahaw Daan-the AFP failed (to hit the NPA) and again squandered more than P25 million in their bombings. They utilized FA50 bomber, Augusta attack helicopter, MG520 and attack drones in attacking/bombing the abandoned temporary camp of the NPA.

Meanwhile, they continue to launch CSP in sitios and barrios of Surigao del Sur, such as in Brgy. Burgos, Cortez; Brgy. Sibahay, Lanuza; Brgy. Hinapuyan, Carmen; Brgy. Cabas-an, Cantilan; communities of Brgy. Bolhoon, San Miguel; Brgy. Caras-an and Lindoy in Tago and communities of Brgy. Diatagon, Lianga. They continue to forcibly recruit people to become CAA members despite the refusal of residents.

These destructive military operations aim to annihilate the NPA to pave the entry and guard the foreign mining companies and plantations in the province. Duterte and his generals still believe that they can crush the revolutionary movement and strengthen the dictatorial rule of Duterte, puppet of imperialist US and China.

Instead of solving the health crisis facing the Filipino people, it has prioritized the killing of the people and trying to fulfil his dream of ending the revolutionary movement.

Under such conditions, it is but right that the Filipino people fight the fascist rule and struggle for democratic their rights and achieve social justice.

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