Rebel killed, two others nabbed in Escalante clash

By Glazyl Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – An alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed while two others were arrested in a clash with the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) at Barangay Malasibog, Escalante City, Negros Occidental yesterday.

The Army identified the fatality as Wilson Yanog Jr. of Barangay Minapasuk, Calatrava town.

Arrested were Joel Manguiran alias “Baroy”, and Jessie Labisto.

Captain Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said two groups of soldiers were divided to conduct combat operations in response to a report on the alleged presence of armed men in the area.

The first group of soldiers flagged down two persons on a motorcycle, but these two individuals did not stop prompting the soldiers to inform their colleagues behind them from a distance, Pancito said.

Pancito said the motorcycle was again flagged down by the second group of soldiers, but one of them allegedly fired his gun at the military troopers, prompting the latter to retaliate.

One of the motorcycle riders succumbed to injuries during the five-minute firefight, while his companion managed to escape.

After a few minutes, two persons riding a multicab vehicle passed by the area and their vehicle was also flagged down.

The soldiers reportedly caught them with a gun in plain view, Pancito said.

Both were held and turned over to the police.

Upon the inspection of the vehicle, the soldiers recovered supplies, subversive documents, and an NPA flag.

“Siguro they’re supposed to transport these supplies to their comrades in the group,” Pancito said.

The Army also recovered from the encounter site a .45 caliber pistol, a .9mm pistol, nine .9mm ammunition, nine cellular phones, backpacks with personal belongings and voluminous subversive documents with high intelligence value.

Pancito said there’s a possibility that the two individuals in the multicab and those riding on a motorcycle belonged to one group.

In a statement, Malasibog village chief Romulo Amacan, said that he is grateful for the swift response of the soldiers in addressing the insurgency problem in their village, adding that these rebels were reportedly conducting extortion activities and sowed fear to the communities.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel J-jay Javines, 79th IB commander, said that

the armed struggle is not the key, but a big hindrance to attaining peace and development.

“Let us work together to build communities that are inhospitable to enemies of the state, free from fear, manipulation and exploitation by the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs),” Javines added.