TACLOBAN CITY – Two consecutive encounters led to the death of eight suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and seizure of eight high-powered firearms in the hinterlands of Barangay San Isidro, Las Navas, Northern Samar on Thursday (July 31).
The first firefight erupted at around 2:30 A.M., as troops of the 8th Infantry “Stormtroopers” Division launched an assault on a heavily fortified enemy hideout surrounded by International Humanitarian Law (IHL)-banned Anti-Personnel Mines (APMs). The clash resulted in an intense exchange of fire, resulting in the death of seven NPAs and the seizure of five M16 rifles, an R4 rifle with an attached M203 grenade launcher.
By 10:00 A.M., another clash ensued as the reinforcing troops of the 803rd Infantry Brigade tracked down fleeing armed rebels west of the first encounter site. The second encounter resulted in a 30-minute firefight resulting in the death of an NPA member and the seizure of one R4 rifle.
It can be recalled that the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee’s Regional Headquarters attacked 8ID troops in Brgy. Dorillo, Jipapad, Eastern Samar on October 7, 2022. The said assault resulted in the wounding of a 10-year-old child, the deaths of two soldiers, and damage to civilian and government properties.
Las Navas Mayor Philbert Tan appealed to the remaining NPAs, saying, “Ang local na pamahalaan ng Las Navas, ang probinsya at pambansang pamahalaan ay narito at handa kayong tanggapin at tulungan sa inyong pagbabagong-buhay. Sama-sama nating ituloy ang pag-unlad ng ating bayan, para sa inyong pamilya at sa sambayanang Pilipino.”
Meanwhile, JTF Storm and 8ID Commander Major General Adonis Ariel Orio attributed the successful operation to the effective cooperation of the residents with the 8ID’s mission to eliminate the insurgency in the region. He emphasized the crucial role played by the residents of formerly conflict-affected communities in achieving this victory.
“This may be your best chance to lay down your arms, abandon the armed struggle, and return to the fold of the law. We will not stop until Eastern Visayas is free from your acts of terror. We will hit you hard,” Maj. Gen. Orio said. (By Marie Tonette Marticio / EV Mail JULY 28-AUGUST 3, 2025 issue)
