Army unit claims ‘neutralizing 34 rebels’

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry (Spearhead) Division claimed neutralizing 34 alleged New People’s Army (NPA) combatants in its Focused Military Operations (FMOs).

Eight rebels were killed in 13 encounters from January 2022 to date.

Two of them were killed in separate encounters in Sitio San Juan, Barangay Caradio-an, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental and Sitio Tulong, Brgy Enrique Villanueva, Sibulan, Negros Oriental on April 14, 2022.

Also, 15 rebels surrendered and 11 were arrested.

Six of the neutralized personalities were believed to be top leaders of the local NPA organization.

They include spouses Elbert Nicolas Quillano alias Carding and Jessa Luiso Quillano alias Clean/JS who were killed in an encounter at Sitio Kulihaw, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on April 1.

Elbert was allegedly a finance officer while Jessa was a medical officer of an NPA platoon operating in Central Negros Island.

The 3rd ID also considered the arrest of activist Elmer Forro as part of their accomplishments against the rebels.

The 52-year-old Forro, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Panay, was collared in Barangay Lutac, Cabatuan, Iloilo on March 29, 2022 for murder charges.

Bayan slammed Forro’s arrest, calling the charges as trumped up and without basis.

The military also hailed the arrest of Ramon Patriarca and Carmen Jonahville Matarlo in Barangay Suay, Himamaylan, Negros Occidental on March 18.

Patriarca, who goes by the aliases Usting, Baste, and Chino, acted as the secretary and deputy Secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros; while Matarlo, also known as Loisa and Avon, is the secretary of KR-N’s RCOMMS.

Patriarca is wanted for 10 murder charges.

The military also declared victory in the death of Virgilio Marco Tamban alias Bedam, commanding officer of SYP Platoon Lenovo, who died in an encounter in Barangay Amin, Isabela, Negros Occidental on March 9.

Aside from intensified FMOs, the 3rd ID also attributed the success of its anti-insurgency campaign on its strategic military operations and the overwhelming support of the member-agencies of National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).

Major General Benedict Arevalo, 3ID commander, also ascribed the 3ID’s victory to the support and cooperation of the local populace in Western and Central Visayas.

He also commended the effort of various government agencies and local government units in ending local-communist armed conflict.