• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The twin encounters in Candoni, Negros Occidental was dismissed as “isolated cases” by Mayor Ray Ruiz, who reported that it’s “business as usual” in the southern Negros municipality.
Ruiz said that Philippine Army soldiers have been pursuing the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels even long before, and they just happened to engage in armed confrontation in the hinterland sitios of Barangay Gatuslao last week.
Eight NPA rebels died in the two encounters with 47th and 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) soldiers on Nov. 21 and 22 in the sitios of Cogon and Soso.
The soldiers also recovered nine high- powered firearms, two improvised anti- personnel mines, several explosives and hundreds of ammunition, among others.
Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, who supervises the 15th and 47IBs, said there was no evacuation of residents as the encounter sites are located far away from populated areas.
On Sunday, Army soldiers also overran a rebel hideout within the Damutan area in Hinobaan town.
In an interview with Aksyon Radyo, Ruiz said that Lt. Col. Magno Mapalad III, 47IB commander, told him that the troops are in full control of the situation.
Still, the mayor called on the residents of Candoni to be vigilant at all times. | GB
