THE joint personnel of the regional and provincial intelligence unit, two teams of the Mangatarem Police Station, two teams of the 1st and 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) of the Pangasinan PPO led by Police Provincial Director Redrico A. Maranan and members of 702nd Brigade were redeployed in preparation for the rebels’ possible return.

The combined forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police were redeployed after launching hot pursuit operations after the retreating members of the Kilusang Larangang Guerilla -Tarlac Zambales (KLG-TARZAM) whom the government troops encountered on the mountainous boundary of Barangay Lawak Langka in Mangatarem and Tarlac morning of November 24.

According to Maranan, the sighting of armed groups in the area were first reported to the 702nd Brigade of the Philippine Army that engaged forty (40) heavily armed men in a firefight that lasted almost two hours.

The Pangasinan Police quickly assisted in the deployment of blocking force.

The NPA faction group reportedly retreated with their dead and wounded. No one was reported injured among the government troops.

Last year, 26 former NPA members and supporters in Mabini town returned to the government while 72 former NPA members returned to the Eastern Pangasinan government during the Oplan Panagsubli in San Quintin town in August as part of the program under National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (ELCAC).

Apart from ELCAC, the Pangasinan Police is also implementing its Kabataan Kontra Droga at Terorismo program to engage the youth in socio-civic activities and sports. This is because young people today are now a major target for recruitment by the CPP-NPA-NDF. (Nora Domimguez)

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