800 residents displaced in twin clashes return home

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The local Army in Negros Occidental has allowed more than 800 evacuees to return home following two clashes between military troopers and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Oringao, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental over the weekend.

At least 283 families or 822 individuals were temporarily sheltered at the barangay’s covered court on Feb. 5, based on the data of the local government.

This, after the 94th IB and the NPA rebels engaged in two clashes when they responded to reports on the alleged presence of unidentified armed persons reportedly conducting extortion and recruitment in the hinterland parts of the village.

Captain Mervin Rosal, civil military operations officer of Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), said the affected residents were already given a go signal to return to their houses on Monday morning.

Rosal said the three suspected NPA rebels who were killed in the Sunday encounter remain unidentified.