Army, NPA trade barbs over Guihulngan clashes

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID) and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People’s Army (NPA) exchanged tirades on the series of encounters that occurred in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental over the weekend.

In a statement released to the media yesterday, Marco Valbuena, CPP’s information officer, said 13 soldiers were killed in an ambush perpetrated by the NPA at Sitio Batong-buang, Barangay Trinidad last Saturday, a report they claimed the Army kept away from public attention.

Valbuena said that members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) suffered a “mis-encounter,” adding that the ambush was the only encounter that day between the NPA and the military troopers, contrary to claims by the military that four encounters took place.

The firefight resulted in hundreds of families displaced from their homes, he added.

In response, Major Cenon Pancito III, 3ID’s spokesperson, said that no one was hurt on the government side.

“In this time where we have advanced technologies, it can never be hidden if ever there’s one,” Pancito said, as he urged the NPA to produce photos much more the bodies of their claimed casualties.

Earlier, Pancito said that the clash started at the boundaries of Sitio Punong and Sitio Batong-Buang, Barangay Trinidad between personnel of the 33rd Division Reconnaissance Company (DRC) and 20 unidentified armed persons.

It was followed by another encounter at the said area between the 62nd IB and the same armed men.

Another firefight happened between the 62nd IB and 20 armed persons at Sitio Batong-Buang, Barangay Sandayao. The last clash happened in the same vicinity, with the other unit of the 62nd IB.

Pancito said they pity the NPAs in how they evade and run for their life. He said the Army will be fearless in their efforts to crush them and their organization until the last fighter falls.