BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Following last Monday’s clash between government forces and insurgents from the New People’s Army (NPA) in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental which ended with two rebels killed, two more were added after the Philippine Army again encountered the rebels in Kabankalan City yesterday morning.
The two rebel fatalities were yet to be identified as of press time, although both were believed to be members of the NPA’s Central Negros 2 command.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Donald Almonte, commander of the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion, said the first encounter took place at around 2:10 a.m., followed by a second encounter around five minutes later.
The encounter took place in Kabankalan City’s Sitio Makilo in Barangay Camansi.
Almonte said the residents have been complaining that the rebels are extorting food from them.
The residents also told the 94IB soldiers that the rebels belong to the remnants of the group involved in last October’s encounter in Himamaylan City.
Recovered from the encounter site were a KG9 machine pistol, two .45 caliber pistols with magazines and ammunition, two grenades, NPA flags, and subversive documents./PN
