2 soldiers, civilian, CAA member hurt in Himamaylan clash

BACOLOD CITY — Four people, including two soldiers, a civilian and a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary (CAA), were injured in a clash with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Sitio Bulod, Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Maj. Jecey Batiller, civil-military operations officer of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID), said the four wounded individuals were recuperating in a hospital.

Batiller said he had yet to receive details about the nature and extent of their injuries.

According to Batiller, the soldiers were conducting a Community Support Program in the area when they encountered five suspected remnants of the dismantled Central Negros 2 (CN2) guerrilla unit around 8:50 p.m.

The firefight lasted approximately five minutes near a residential area.

Batiller said authorities were still determining whether residents had been affected or forced to evacuate because of the encounter.

No additional details were available as of publication.

The latest clash occurred more than two weeks after a similar encounter in Barangay Malasibog, Escalante City, on Oct. 1, which killed a CAA member and wounded two soldiers.

The Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) continues to secure Sitio Bulod and nearby communities to prevent further harm to residents and pursue the suspected insurgents who fled after the encounter.

Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IBde), condemned the attack, particularly the injury sustained by a civilian.

“We strongly condemn the violent and cowardly attack by remnants of CN2. Targeting our troops and recklessly endangering and injuring an innocent civilian is an inhumane, lawless act that violates human rights and shows total disregard for innocent lives,” Dumosmog said in a statement.

The 303rd Infantry Brigade assured the public that pursuit operations would continue until those responsible for injuring civilians and disrupting peace in Negros were brought to justice.