KAHIT muntik nang malagasan ng dalawang sundalo ay humingi ng pang-unawa ang mga tauhan ng Philippine Army kasunod ng nangyaring palitan ng putok sa pagitan ng military at New People’s Army (NPA) na nagkubli malapit sa paaralan sa Brgy. Cawayan, Masbate .
Ayon kay Southern Luzon Command Public Information Office Chief Col. Dennis Caña, rumesponde lamang ang tropa makaraang makatanggap ng ulat na mayroong presensya ng rebeldeng grupo malapit sa Locso-an Elementary School sa Barangay Locso-an, Placer, Masbate.
“We regret that the students and school personnel experienced the horror of being almost near the encounter between the Communist Terrorists Group and our soldiers.
Our soldiers are responding to information from our populace about an armed group in the area, their purpose is to authenticate the veracity of the information given and to secure the people from these people.
Unfortunately they were fired upon, wounding two soldiers. Habang papalapit ang tropa, nagpaputok ang mga rebelde dahilan para gumanti rin sila ng putok ani Col Caña.
Paliwanag ni Caña, hindi sila masyadong makapagpaputok dahil baka may madamay na mga estudyante kung kaya’t dalawa sa mga sundalo ang nasugatan.
Bunsod nito kinondena ng Department of Education ang ginawa ng CPP-NPA sa kanilang lugar.
The Department of Education (DepEd) vehemently condemns the alarming rate of communist rebel activities in Masbate, causing undue learning disruption in the province, ani DepEd Sec. Sara Duterte.
The Department supports the Philippine Army, and VP-Secretary expressed her intention to visit the affected areas in Masbate once it is determined by the authorities that her presence will not disrupt ongoing operations, anang DepEd. (VICTOR BALDEMOR RUIZ)