• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Troops of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) pursuing the group of New People’s Army (NPA) hitman Roger Fabillar clashed with rebel remnants anew Thursday, April 16 in the hinterlands of Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
The chance encounter in Sitio Balea, Barangay Laga-an lasted for about 10 minutes.
No injuries were reported on both sides.
1Lt. Fevie Fajardo, 79IB civil military operations officer, said the encounter ensued after they received reports on the presence of an armed group in the area.
Last week, the group of Fabillar, who was linked to the series of murder incidents involving civilians, was also encountered by 79IB soldiers in Barangay Minautok.
An Army soldier was slightly injured in the gunbattle while troops recovered an M16 rifle from the encounter site.
Fabillar has a bounty of P1 million for his arrest. | GB
