• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Focused military operations of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) against remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) led to an encounter that resulted in the recovery of a firearm and injuries of fleeing rebels in La Libertad, Negros Oriental Friday night (March 15).
In a statement, the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IB) reported that troops of 62IB thwarted four NPA rebels of the dismantled Central Negros 1 from disrupting the delivery of government services during the more than three-minute clash at the boundary of barangays Aya and Talaon.
Maj. Mervin Rosal, civil-military operations officer of 303IB, said the soldiers recovered a 12-gauge shotgun with ammunition, empty shells of M16 assault rifle and shotgun, subversive documents and personal belongings.
No one was injured among the government troops, who discovered blood stains along the rebels’ withdrawal route.
It indicated that some of them may have been wounded, Rosal said.
Before the encounter, the rebel remnants were monitored to have been planning to disrupt the implementation of socio-economic programs in central Negros.
Rosal said their attempt was foiled due to heightened security measures.
The rebels then shifted their focus on La Libertad town, where they were promptly intercepted by 62IB forces, he added. | GB
