• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A suspected New People’s Army rebel died in an encounter with Philippine Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion soldiers at Purok 5 in Barangay Basak, Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Monday (July 29).
Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, public affairs chief of 3rd Infantry Division, said on Tuesday (July 30) that the encounter also led to the recovery of two fragmentation grenades and a 12-gauge shotgun.
The slain rebel has not been identified yet.
No one was hurt among the soldiers involved in the gunbattle.
Meanwhile, the 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers unearthed a cache of high powered firearms, composed of two M14 assault rifles, an M1 garand rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun with ammunition in Barangay Pinowayan, Don Salvador Benedicto also on Monday.
They located the area based on the information relayed to them by a former rebel, who surrendered to the authorities last week. | GB
