Two soldiers hurt in clash with rebels in Cauayan

By Glazyl Y. Masculino and Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Two members of the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) were injured after they encountered suspected New People’s Army (NPA) at Barangay Camalanda-an, Cauayan, Negros Occidental Tuesday afternoon.

2nd Lieutenant Elnard Alde, platoon leader; and Private First Class Celmer Lampa suffered minor injuries.

Lt. Colonel Patricio Tomales, 15IB commander, said they were implementing the Retooled Community Support Program in the area when they received numerous reports on rebel sightings from residents.

A 25-minute gun battle erupted until the rebels were forced to retreat upon spotting the government forces advancing to their position.

Following the clash, several residents reported to the soldiers that they’ve seen the insurgents carry one of their members, a woman, whom they believe was already dead.

Government forces, meanwhile, recovered several personal belongings at the area the rebels held during the clash.

Among the recoveries were four rifle grenades, and subversive documents. Several medical kits were also discovered in the encounter site.

Tomales added they believe the group they clashed with were led by NPA commanders Rennel “Kumpol” Cellon and Nilda “Gia” Bertullano, both members of the NPA’s Southwest Front.

Brigadier-General Eric Vinoya, commander of Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), in a press statement, said the full force of the anti-insurgency efforts of the Cauayanons and the 15th IB are significantly hitting the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA terrorists in the town.

Authorities believed that a female rebel died in the clash.

“The overwhelming support of the Cauayanons to our anti-insurgency drive, especially by providing our troops vital information on the whereabouts of the enemy, boosted our relentless combat operations against these anti-people, anti-peace, and anti-progress communist-terrorists,” Vinoya said.

We will continue to fulfill the Negrenses’ desire for an insurgency-free Negros as I renew my order to our troops to be relentless in hunting down these terrorists, he added.

He commended the dauntless troops of the 15th IB especially those who were wounded and shed their blood in protecting the people from the menace of the communist-terrorists.

“Wounds only motivate our soldiers to fight harder against the oppressors of the Filipino people. Thus, the CPP-NPA Terrorists should consider our long-time call for them to surrender,” he said.