• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army’s 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) dismissed as plain and simple propaganda the claims of the New People’s Army (NPA) that two soldiers were killed during an encounter in Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Monday (May 4).
Lt. Col. Dennis Martinez, commander of 47IB, said it is the fleeing rebel group whose comrades may have been either injured or killed due to traces of bloodstains along their withdrawal route.
Troops encountered remnants of the dismantled South West Front-Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros linked by the Philippine Army to more than 28 summary execution of innocent civilians in southern Negros since 2025.
Martinez said nobody was hurt among the soldiers.
In a statement, the NPA’s Armando Sumayang Jr. Command claimed two Army soldiers died in the running gunbattle.
The rebel group also condemned the Army’s action of bringing farmer Jose Escamilla to the headquarters for investigation after the encounter.
Martinez said it is standard operating procedure for them to remove civilians from the encounter site so that they will not be caught in a crossfire.
He added that the said civilian was already endorsed back to his family. | GB
