The provincial government of Batangas has provided aid to families affected by the bloody encounter between the military forces and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Brgy. Malalay, Balayan, Batangas, its governor Hermilando Mandanas said on Monday, Dec. 18.
Interviewed during DZRH Dos Por Dos, Mandanas mentioned that they sent a social welfare and disaster medication team to help families, who were prompted to flee from their houses.
“Dahil may mga putukan ay nagpadala tayo ng mga social welfare at disaster medication dahil may mga nag-evacuate sympre diyan. Mga nurses natin nandoon, nangangalaga sa mga bata, kahapon pa ng umaga,” he said.
“May mga nag-evacuate, sinuplayan ng mga pagkain at iba pa para ma-reduce ang trauma,” the Batangas governor added.
Gov, Hermilando Mandanas, Batangas, sa huling bakbakan ng pamahlaan at NPA: Ito kasi ay national defense operation kaya ang lahat ng report at details ay magmumula sa Aguinaldo.#DosPorDos#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) December 17, 2023
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On Sunday, Dec. 17, Defense Secretary Gilbert ‘Gibo’ Teodoro reported that one soldier and six NPA died in the bloody clash in the aforementioned area.
Three others reportedly sustained injuries and were immediately rushed to the Medical Center Western Batangas.
Desiree Ferrer Padilla, who hailed from Balayan, Batangas, posted a video on her Facebook account in which a loud gunfire exchange was heard inside her home.
“Pamamaril sa pagitan ng NPA at SUNDALO sa BALAYAN BATANGAS. [I]ngat po ka[yo] [hu]wag na ka[yo] muna l[uma]bas. MALALAY LAGNAS AT DILAO. [I]ngat po ka[yo] lahat,” she wrote as caption.
Mandanas believes that the involved NPA members were not originally from Batangas.
“Sa totoo lang, hindi naman galing ito sa Batangas. Malamang sa malamang. Pero sabi ko nga, yung detalye na ito ay hindi ang local government ang magbibigay nito. This is a national operation,” he said.
The Batangas governor noted that the recent bloody encounter was the first in the province’s history.
“Sa totoo lang, sa lalawigan ng Batangas, wala nang armed conflict noon pa. Ito [Batangas] ang parang nagiging tawiran kasi nandyan ang Mindoro. Kapag pupunta kang Calabarzon, sympre Batangas ang dadaanan mo,” he said.
