Soldier hurt in Kabankalan clash

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A soldier was wounded while another temporary encampment of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) was discovered following an armed clash with suspected rebels in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental last Thursday.

According to Captain Cenon Pancito III, spokesperon of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), the wounded soldier is a member of the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB). He suffered a gunshot wound in his left leg but is now in stable condition.

Pancito said military troopers were conducting combat operation when they encountered around 20 armed members of the NPA’s SDG Platoon, Central Negros 2, at the vicinity of Sitio Manulaya, Barangay Tan-awan.

The firefight lasted for about 30 minutes. The soldiers later discovered the rebel’s temporary encampment at Sitio Buko in the same barangay, which can accommodate around 30 persons.

Aside from the encampment, the military also seized various war materials, including an M16 A1 rifle, four short magazines with ammunition, improvised explosive device (IED) components, an M16 handguard, a jungle hammock, bolo, and other personal valuables.

It was the second encampment discovered by the Army in Negros Island this week, after the 15th IB overran an alleged NPA hideout in Barangay Caningay, Candoni town last Tuesday.

During the clearing operation in Candoni clash, Adrian Gallendo Omilig, also known as Nico, an alleged team leader of the NPA’s Southwest Front, was arrested, according to Pancito.