Soldier wounded in Holy Week clash with NPA

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A soldier was wounded after government forces clashed with the New People’s Army (NPA) at Sitio Seraje, Barangay San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental last Thursday.

The name of the wounded soldier assigned to the Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) was withheld for security reasons.

According to the Army, the encounter happened when military troopers responded to a report regarding the alleged extortion and recovery efforts of the remnants of the Northern Negros Front (NNF) in the northern part of the province.

Recovered from the encounter site were two homemade shotguns, two magazines for shotgun, two live ammunition for shotgun, six packs of medicine kits, six hammocks, two pairs of rainboots, a cellphone battery, personal belongings, and subversive documents.

The following day, Brigadier General Orlando Edralin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), pinned a Wounded Personnel Medal on the wounded soldier during his visit to a hospital here.

“It is with great pride that I commend the tireless efforts of officers and troops of 79th IB who have acted immediately to the information given by the locals. The same goes for our wounded personnel injured in this encounter,” Edralin said in a statement.

“Truly, the devotion and sacrifices made by our soldiers to their oath to safeguard fellow Filipinos and the country are beyond measure,” he added.

Major General Marion Sison, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), in his message, said the people of Negros Occidental have had enough of the extortion and deception tactics of the NPA.

Meanwhile, the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command of the NPA (RJPC-NPA), in a statement released yesterday, said that it carried out active defense against troopers of the 79th IB in the said town last Saturday.