• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebel died while two firearms were recovered in renewed clashes between combined forces of military and police and remnants of Central Negros 1 (CN1) in Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental on Thursday (April 4).
Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, public affairs chief of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said that the first encounter ensued at about 5:35 a.m., after troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) and 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company (NOPMFC) were tipped on the presence of about five NPA rebels in the area.
Javines said that the firefight, which lasted for several minutes, led to the death of the still unidentified rebel.
Troops recovered a KG9 automatic pistol with a magazine containing ammunition, a rifle grenade ammunition, three magazines of 5.56mm rifle, two back packs, subversive documents and assorted medical paraphernalia.
Almost three hours after the first encounter, pursuing government forces caught up with fleeing rebels, which led to another encounter, that resulted in the recovery of a caliber .38 revolver.
No one was injured among the 62IB and 2nd NOCMFC troopers, Javines said.
Barangay Quintin Remo in Moises Padilla has been previously considered as the bailiwick of CN1, which is under the supervision of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor.
Both the CN1 and CN2 guerrilla units were declared as dismantled by the Philippine Army’s 3ID. | GB
