• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Philippine Army soldiers are pursuing remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) they had encountered twice on April 6 in Sitio Pinyahon, Barangay Minautok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental as evacuees returned to their respective homes on Friday, April 10.
In an interview, Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said they are also tracking down the injured members of the group of NPA hitman Roger Fabillar, based on the information provided by civilians.
The two encounters led to the slight injury of an Army corporal and the recovery of an M16 rifle.
The encounters temporarily displaced 35 families in sitios of Pinyahon and Paraiso and barangay proper of Minautok, according to the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB).
Dumosmog said they immediately returned to their respective houses after the affected areas were cleared.
The evacuees availed of psychological first aid and emergency food assistance from the Municipal Welfare and Development Office of Calatrava before returning home.
The group of Fabillar was tagged by the 79IB as behind the series of killings of civilians in northern Negros, whom they accused as military spies.
Dumosmog said he believes the group of Fabillar, estimated at eight, is still roaming in the hinterlands of Calatrava.
He is optimistic that they may soon be able to neutralize Fabillar and the members of his group. | GB
