- GILBERT BAYORAN
The remaining 163 families composed of 669 individuals, who were among the more than 3,500 persons displaced by the series of gunbattles in the hinterlands of Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, finally returned to their respective communities, two weeks after they evacuated.
This was after the Philippine Army declared “cleared” the sitios of Sig-ang, Medel, and Campayas in Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City, where six encounters ensued between 94th Infantry Battalion soldiers and New People’s Army rebels, said Mayor Raymund Tongson.
The series of gunbattles, from Oct. 6 to 10, claimed the lives of two Army soldiers and injured six others. It also led to the death of Romeo Nanta, regional commander of the NPA in Negros Island.
The clashes affected more than 18,000 residents of Barangays Carabalan and neighboring Brgy. Cabadiangan, all in Himamaylan, City, and prompted 3,500 individuals to seek refuge in 18 evacuation centers.
In an advisory Oct. 19, Tongson said the Incident Management Team of Himamaylan gave food packs and donated goods to the displaced residents, before transporting them back to their respective communities, assisted by the Philippine Army.
They also availed of medical checkups and were provided with vitamins by personnel of the City Health Office, he added.
But Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said that their military operations continued without letup to neutralize the NPA remnants in central Negros.
Following the death of Nanta, the Leonardo Panaligan Command ordered widespread tactical offensives against the units of the 303rd Infantry Brigade./GB
