Renewed armed clashes between government troops and suspected New People’s Army ensued on Friday, Oct. 1, at Sitio Cunalom, Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
Brig. Gen. Leonardo Peña, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said that Army soldiers recovered two high-powered firearms, including M16 and M14 assault rifles, among other war materials and personal belongings left behind by the rebels.
Peña said nobody among the 94IB soldiers was hurt after the fleeing rebels detonated two IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). However, it was not determined if the rebels sustained casualties during the clash as pursuit operation is ongoing, as of this time.
The series of encounters in Himamaylan comes after four suspected NPA members died in an encounter with 79th Infantry Battalion and Special Action Force commandos at Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, on Sept. 30.
In a statement issued on Oct. 1, the NPA Apolinario Gatmaitan Command claimed it was a massacre.
Rebel spokesperson Juanito Magbanua saud that there was no encounter, as he alleged that security forces entered the house where the victims were sleeping and shot them mercilessly.
Magbanua also questioned the supposed one hour encounter, as he claimed that the house did not show any signs of gun shots.
Sixteen soldiers of 79th Infantry Battalion, who were involved in the encounter in Manapla, were conferred with Military Merits Medals by Maj. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 3rd Infantry Division commander, on Oct. 1 in Sagay City.
Among those killed in the encounter was Marilyn Badayos, former secretary of the dismantled South East Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, according to Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander.
Recovered from the encounter site were two handguns and two fragmentation grenades and copies of NPA extortion documents. — GB
