Three suspected New People’s Army (NPA) remnants linked to the summary executions of a 74-year-old woman and a farmer last month were killed in an encounter with government troops in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on March 21.
Operating troops of the 47th Infantry Battalion responded to reports of civilians on the presence of armed rebels in Sitio Santol in Barangay Tampalon.
They clashed with the fighters of the dismantled Southwest Front and Regional Strike Force of the Komiteng Rehiyonal- Negros at about 4 a.m.
Capt. Jessie Jun Ebalan, chief of the 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, said the gunbattle lasted for almost two minutes, resulting in the death of three NPA remnants and the recovery of five high-powered firearms and explosives, including one R4 assault rifle, two M16 rifles, two M203 grenade launchers, a fragmentation hand grenade, and various subversive documents.
The fatalities were identified as Milky alias “Gorting” Sampini, Ritchie alias “Makoy”/“Akiro” Verano, and Joedil alias “Junjun”/“Cairo” Balsimo.
Ebalan said the slain rebels were linked to series of atrocities in the hinterland areas of Kabankalan City, including the murder of Leonara Anguit, 74, and Renante Vedarte, 39, both in Barangay Tapi, Kabankalan City.
Their summary executions were claimed by the NPA Armando Sumayang Command Jr., also known to the military as the dismantled Southwest Front.
Anguit and Vedarte were accused as military spies by the rebel group.
“Justice has been served to the victims and their families, through their neutralization, bringing a measure of closure to the affected communities,” Ebalan said. | GB
