Troops clash with NPA in Pagadian
The initial report released revealed: 1) One (1) NPA member whose surname was Becsala 'aka Diego' was killed and his cadaver was recovered by the operating troops. 2) recovery of one (1) hand grenade. 3) one CPP-NPA flag; and 4) subversive documents. This particular encounter saw the firefight lasting for about 15 minutes afterwhich the enemy withdrew in different directions.
In another report, two (2) members of the NPA Mobile Regional Guerilla Unit of the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (Christopher Saplid 'aka Darwin' and Joliber Saplid Candao 'aka July') surrendered without firearms to the elements of the 44IB and 20th Special Forces Company under the 102Bde on May 3, 2017, at 1am at Sitio Mati, Brgy Titik, Sindangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
Both NPA members are now under the custody of the 102Bde, when interviewed they said, "due to the hardship in the mountains and lack of direction in their armed struggle they opted to surrender.
1st Infantry (Tabak) Division Commander, BGen Rolando D Bautista AFP said, "we welcome NPA members and their families who want to return to the fold of the law and live a normal life for they too are Filipinos, however, there will be no let up of focused military operations against those NPA members who refuse to lay down their arms and continue to conduct terroristic activities in peace loving communities."
