Four NPA rebels killed in series of Himamaylan clashes

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By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) said it sympathizes with the bereaved families of four suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who were killed in a series of clashes at Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental last Wednesday.

The Army has yet to identify the slain rebels, as of press time.

Military troopers clashed with about 20 unidentified armed persons believed to be NPA rebels after receiving reports on the alleged extortion of food and supplies from the residents in the area.

According to the Army, three NPA rebels were killed in the first encounter, and another fatality was reported, following two more clashes in the said village.

Based on the latest data from the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), 181 families composed of 651 individuals were displaced. The affected residents were already provided with relief goods.

Recovered from the encounter site were two M16 rifles with M203, two AK47s, four M203 GL ammunition, four bandoliers, a hand grenade, two M16 long magazines, two M16 short magazines, six AK47 magazines, an AK47 unserviceable magazine, subversive documents, and other personal belongings.

Aside from the firearms and ammunition, the Army also recovered several extortion letters.

The letters reportedly contained demands to impose what they call a “revolutionary tax” or “permit to operate fee” on businesses, especially in rural areas where they have a strong presence, the Army said.

This tax is an essential source of funding for the group’s activities, including their armed struggle against the government, the Army said.

In a statement, Lieutenant Colonel Van Donald Almonte, 94th IB commander, stressed that this operation is a clear demonstration of the government’s unwavering commitment to resolving the country’s long-standing insurgency problem in Himamaylan City.

The 94th IB is resolute in its mission to safeguard the people’s welfare and uphold the rule of law in central Negros, he said.

“Our battalion assures the NPA rebels that they will face the consequences of their actions,” Almonte said, as he warned them that the Army will continue their unrelenting combat operations to send a strong message that they are determined in their fight against the NPA rebels.

“Their only choice is to be killed, jailed, or surrender for a chance to have a peaceful life with their loved ones,” he said.

Almonte said the extortion letters demonstrate the NPA’s continued use of illegal activities to fund their operations and advance their revolutionary cause.

Such tactics are direct violations of the law and are detrimental to the economic growth and stability of Himamaylan City and Negros as a whole, he added.

“We urge the public to report any extortion activity or information related to the NPA to the nearest authorities,” Almonte said.

Meanwhile, Colonel Orlando Edralin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) pinned a Wounded Personnel Medal to an injured soldier in a hospital here.

Edralin called on the remaining NPA rebels to lay down their arms, surrender, and return to their families.

In October last year, the 94th IB and the 62nd IB also clashed with NPA rebels in a series of encounters in Barangay Carabalan, which killed an NPA leader and two other rebels.