• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Classes in five remote barangays of Calatrava in Negros Occidental were suspended by Mayor Marilyn Era on Tuesday, Oct. 22, following an encounter between Philippine Army soldiers and remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) led by Roger Fabillar, alias “Arnel Tapang”, who has a bounty of P1 million for his arrest.
The encounter took place about 6 a.m. in Sitio Agtotogas, Barangay Winaswasan between about seven NPA rebels and troopers of the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), who were joined by operatives of the 1st Negros Occidental Police Mobile Force Company.
Era ordered the suspension of classes in barangays of Winaswasan, Hilub-ang, Cambayobo, Macasilao and Pantao to ensure safety and security of students.
Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, 79IB commander, said that the encounter lasted for about 10 minutes, which prompted remnants of the dismantled Northern Negros Front (NNF) to flee in various directions, leaving behind traces of bloodstains at the encounter site.
No one was hurt among the government troopers, Calaoagan said.
He added that the encounter was an offshoot of their focused military operations against the group of Fabillar.
On Oct. 6, soldiers of the 79IB also engaged in armed skirmishes with the group of Fabillar in Barangay Macasilao.
Fabillar is facing multiple murder charges in court, in connection with the series of liquidation of barangay officials and residents in the upland areas of Calatrava, who were accused by the NPA of being military informants. | GB
