Catbalogan City, Western Samar, April 29, 2009 – At least three members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed and several others were wounded in a rebel-military encounter, yesterday, in Samar, a military report said, here today.
Major General Arthur Tabaquero commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID), Philippine Army, based in Camp Lukban, barangay Maulong, Catbalogan City, told reporters in an interview that the government troopers from the 63rd infantry battalion encountered more than 40 NPAs in one of the interior village of Palapag, Northern Samar yesterday morning and that the firefight lasted for almost an hour.
Tabaquero disclosed that acting on the report through a text message from one of the villagers of barangay Magsaysay, Palapag, regarding the presence of the rebels in the barangay, the soldiers went to the area immediately.
Tabaquero also disclosed that upon reaching the area, the government troopers encountered with the rebels killing 3 of them, wounding others and the recovery of one M-16 rifle and a carbine rifle. There is no casualty on the government troopers, Tabaquero added.
Tabaquero said that the rebels, who were caught off-guard withdrew to the interior part of the village and the hot pursuit operation, (as of press time), is still being conducted by the government troopers on the withdrawing rebels.
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More than 1,000 avail of medical mission
By Restituto A. Cayubit
Kabarasan Daku, Palo, Leyte – More than 1,000 people from the six interior barangays of this town have benefited from a military medical mission conducted here the other day..
Major General Arthur Tabaquero commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID), Philippine Army, based in Camp Lukban, barangay Maulong, Catbalogan City, said that the medical mission was spearheaded by the Tactical Operation’s Group 8 (TOG-8) Philippine Air Force headed by Lt. Col.. Jay P. Junsay, group commander, TOG-8, based in Tacloban City.
Tabaquero said that the activity which is a yearly program of the TOG-8 Philippine Air Force, as part of the civil military operation, in cooperation with the 8ID and the local government units in the area was four in one as it included the medical, dental, operation tuli and the schistosomiasis mass treatment.
Tabaquero said that this barangay was chosen as the center venue of the mission for the six interior barangays of this town, because it has the biggest population of the other 5 barangays which also benefited the activity that included Kabarasan Guti, Marikum, San Isidro, San Agustin, Gindag-an and Sta. Elena, and this barangay has the high prevalence of the schistosomiasis.
He added that the other participants of the activity were the PNP medical team, DOH-8, Leyte Dental Society, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center , Palo Rural Health Unit and the APO Lawman.
He also added that there were sponsors who donated assorted medicines and included the PCSO-8, Everwell Drug Store, and 5L Pharmacy, all are based in Tacloban City .
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90 percent affected by parasite; village chief appeals for more schistosomiasis treatment
By Restituto A. Cayubit
Kabarasan Daku, Palo, Leyte - The chairman of this barangay, with almost all the people are affected by the schistosomiasis, is appealing to authorities to conduct more treatment for the schistosomiasis which has a high prevalence in this village and its neighboring villages of this town.
Orlando Corillo, the barangay chairman of this village told reporters in an interview here that schistomiasis has afflicted his village and with a very high prevalence that almost all his villagers are inflicted with the illness. “I can say that almost 90 percent of the people here are infected with the illness, including me. It is only the school children who have not gone yet to the rice fields who are not infected with the illness,” he said.
Corillo’s disclosure was done while there was a military medical mission here recently spearheaded by the Tactical Operation’s Group 8 (TOG-8) Philippine Air Force headed by Lt. Col. Jay P. Junsay, group commander, TOG-8, based in Tacloban City in cooperation with the 8th Infantry Division (8ID), Philippine Army, based in Camp Lukban, barangay Maulong, Catbalogan City, under the command of Major General Arthur Tabaquero, and the local government units in the area and also participated in by the PNP medical team, DOH-8, Leyte Dental Society, Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, Palo Rural Health Unit and the APO Lawman.
The medical mission which benefited more than 1,000 people from the six barangays of this town including Kabarasan Guti, Marikum, San Isidro, San Agustin, Gindag-an and Sta. Elena, and this barangay, was four in one as it included the medical, dental, operation tuli and the schistosomiasis mass treatment.
It was learned that schistosomiasis is an illness caused by blood infection often chronic illness that results from infection of the blood with a parasitic flatworm schistosome. It causes debilitation or weakness and can cause liver and intestinal damage.
It was also learned that schistosomiasis is most common in Asia, Africa, and South America , especially in areas where the water is contaminated by freshwater snails that carry the parasite.
Corillo, who was thankful with the medical mission, said that the latest treatment for the illness in his area was done by the Department of Health 5 years ago and “we are appealing for a more massive and comprehensive treatment of the illness to totally eliminate the schistomiasis in these areas.”
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Road projects in the countryside a boost to anti-insurgency campaign
By Restituto A. Cayubit
Catbalogan City , Western Samar – The roads and other infrastructure projects implemented in the island of Samar are boosts to the fight against the insurgency problem in the island, a military general told reporters in an interview at his office here.
Maj. General Arthur Tabaquero, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division, Philipine, Army, based at camp Lukban, Maulong, this city, said that the roads contracted to the interior parts of the island helps the military’s campaign against the communists rebels operating in the island.
Tabaquero averred that with the road network in the interior parts of the island it is easy for his troops to operate and penetrate to the hinterlands where most of the rebels operate. He also said that troops movement, reinforcements and troops insertions become easy.
He also added that the transportation of the supplies and other needed military hardware are easier compared to those areas where there are no road networks.
Tabaquero cited the road projects implemented in the town of Maslog , one of the interior towns of Eastern Samar which previously a hotbed of insurgency. He claimed that with the road to the interior town of Maslog , the rebels were neutralized because the military troopers can easily operate in the area and bring in the military supplies and hardware needed.
He also claimed that aside from these, it gained support from the people in the area for the government’s campaign against insurgency as they observe the development taking place in their localities.
I would like to request assistance in locating the family of a friend. He was found dead earlier this week, we, his friends have been trying to locate his family. Below are the details.
ReplyDeleteJIMMY CASTILLO LIM
graduate of UP Diliman, Metallurgical Engineering and Quezon City Science High School.
Contact Person is Mark Hael 09209105069
As far as we know, he still has family in the Samar region.