ILOILO CITY, March 4 -- Government troops have intensified their pursuit operations against rebels who fled in the hinterland parts of San Joaquin in Iloilo following the Feb. 28 encounter that left four members of the Southern Panay Front, Komiteng Rehiyon Panay (SPF-KR-Panay) of the New People's Army killed and the capture of another.

Brig. Gen. Michael Samson, commanding officer of the 301st Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division, Philippine Army, said the continued focused military operation aims to prevent the remaining forces from conducting atrocities.

"This is a big operation because, for us, we were able to prevent a possible tactical offensive against our government forces or our communities as a whole," Samson said in ...