• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Troops of the Philippine Army’s 47th Infantry Battalion clashed with New People’s Army (NPA) remnants linked to the liquidation of civilians in Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Monday (May 4).
Brig. Gen. Jason Jumawan, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said the soldiers responded to reports of the presence of armed men believed to be under the dismantled South West Front-Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, leading to a gunbattle at Purok 1 in Barangay Masaling.
About 10 fighters led by alias “Kalbo” fled to various directions after a 10-minute gunbattle, leaving traces of bloodstain on their trails, Jumawan said.
Nobody was hurt among the soldiers, who are still pursuing the rebel remnants.
The group of “Kalbo” was linked to more than 28 incidents of murder in southern Negros since last year, according to the Philippine Army.
The victims were tagged by the NPA as military informants.
The NPA had claimed responsibility for the deaths of a village councilor and purok chairperson in barangays of Tambad and Lina-on in Cauayan. | GB
