A member of the New People’s Army and a government trooper died in two separate encounters Nov. 5 as Negrenses marked the historic Cinco de Noviembre uprising that toppled the Spanish colonizers.
Soldiers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion, who responded to reported presence of an armed group, figured in an encounter with three suspected NPA rebels Thursday in Sitio Arum, Barangay Macagahay in Moises Padilla.
The skirmish led to the death of a suspected rebel identified by the Philippine Army as Rio Jacaba.
His two unidentified companions managed to escape, Capt. Kelvin Bayaban, 303rd Infantry Brigade civil military operations officer, said.
Bayaban said that the lifeless body of Jacaba was left behind by his fleeing comrades.
Troopers of the 62IB scouring the encounter site recovered a Colt 45 caliber pistol, a black gun holster, empty shells of 45 caliber pistol and subversive documents, reports said.
Meanwhile, PFC Arjun Guillermo, who was injured in an encounter with 15 suspected rebels in Sitio Inangaw, Barangay Sandayao, Guihulngan City, also on Thursday, died today at a private hospital in Kabankalan City, Maj. Cenon Pancito, 3rd Infantry Division spokesman, said.
Guillermo, of Mambusao, Capiz, succumbed to a gunshot wound in the chest during a firefight with communist rebels, Pancito said.
Army soldiers, who were conducting pursuit operations, recovered a shotgun, assorted ammunition and personal belongings. – GPB
