By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Two more suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed following two clashes with military troopers at Sitio Makilo, Barangay Camansi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental yesterday.
The Army has yet to identify the slain rebels.
But, Ka Bayani Obrero, spokesperson of National Democratic Front (NDF)-Negros, in a statement condemned the death of the two rebels whom the group claimed to be “summarily executed.”
The rebel group said that one of the fatalities was an NDF consultant who was in the province, particularly in Kabankalan City, to consult on the situation of farm workers in the southern part and share developments regarding the Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER).
For his part, Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), said they could not confirm the identities yet until the remains will be claimed by the families.
According to the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB), residents were complaining about the alleged daily extortion of food supplies of the NPA involved in the series of encounters in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City last October 2022.
Troopers of the 94th and 47th IB then conducted a joint combat operation in the area where they first encountered at least 10 unidentified armed persons around 2:10 a.m.
While on pursuit operations, the troopers clashed again with the NPA rebels five minutes after the first encounter. The firefight lasted for 10 minutes.
The slain rebels were believed to have been left by their comrades during the second encounter.
Recovered from the encounter site were a KG9 pistol with magazine and ammunition, two .45 caliber pistols with magazines and ammunition, two hand grenades, an NPA flag, subversive documents, and lecture materials.
These clashes came two days after two NPA rebels were also killed in an encounter with 62nd IB in Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla town on Nov. 28.
