• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) figured in another armed skirmish with a group of New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Nov. 8.
This led to the surrender of two suspected rebels, and recovery of five high-powered firearms.
Capt. Eduardo Rarugal, civil-military operations officer of 94IB, said the soldiers encountered nine suspected rebels, believed to remnants of the Central Negros 2 of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor.
The gunbattle lasted for about 15 minutes afterwhich some of the rebels fled, leaving behind their two comrades, who surrendered to the 94IB soldiers during the clearing operations.
Soldiers recovered three M16 assault rifles with 15 magazines containing ammunition, an M4 assault rifle, an M1 garand rifle, three bandoleers, two backpacks, a generator set, a pair of rainboots, and subversive documents.
Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, commander of 94IB, lauded the support of the community in their manhunt against NPA remnants in central Negros.
The support of the villagers is a clear sign that the NPA have lost their grip on their once-strong mass bases, Almonte said. | GB
