Two alleged rebels killed in Negros Occidental clashes

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY — Two alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in separate clashes with military troops in Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on July 31 and August 1.

Lieutenant Colonel J-jay Javines, head of the Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said troopers of the 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) first clashed with the remnants of the dismantled South West Front (SWF) around 2:18 a.m. at Sitio Bactolon last Wednesday.

This clash resulted in the death of 23-year-old Regie Fundador from Candoni town and the seizure of a .45-caliber pistol and a hand grenade.

Another encounter erupted at Sitio Cambugui-ot around 1:58 p.m., killing an individual identified as “Xian.”

The second clash also resulted in the recovery of a .45-caliber pistol and a hand grenade.

The Armando Sumayang Jr. Command-NPA, in a statement, strongly condemned the death of Fundador, whom they claimed was an hors de combat.

Ka Andrea Guerrero, the rebel group’s spokesperson, in a statement released yesterday, expressed their sadness over the death of one of their comrades, whom they called “Ka Tata.”

The group said Fundador was not armed and had no capability to fight. They described him as a farmer who had pledged to join the armed struggle full-time in 2020.