• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
At least 122 families, composed of 412 individuals, have been displaced by the clash between troops of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion and remnants of the dismantled Northern Negros Front of the New People’s Army in Toboso, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, March 18.
As of Wednesday, the evacuees have been taking shelter at the Amaparado Elementary School, the covered court of Barangay General Luna, and in homes of relatives and friends, based on the information provided by Councilor Richard Jaojoco.
Col. Erwin Rommel Lamzon, public affairs chief of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), confirmed that three soldiers were slightly injured during the gunbattle in Sitio Bairan, Barangay General Luna, which lasted for about 16 minutes.
All of them are now in stable condition, he added.
Recovered at the encounter site were an M16 assault rifle, a caliber .38 revolver, assorted ammunition and magazines of M16 and AK47 assault rifles, gadgets, foodstuff, personal belongings, and subversive documents.
In a statement, the 3ID lauded the 79IB troops and local residents for their collaborative efforts, which prevented the rebel remnants from regrouping, and led to the seizure of war materials.
Last week, two top regional officials of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor died in an encounter with 79IB troopers in Barangay Caduha-an, Cadiz City. | GB
