BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Three New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in a gun-battle with the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) troops in Sitio Natuling, Barangay Budlasan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental yesterday morning.
The casualties were 40-year-old Cristina “Chave” Jacolbe, finance officer of the NPA’s CN1; Ernie Jacolbe, 42, vice commanding officer of CN1; and 18-year-old Everly Kee Jacolbe.
The 62IB commander, Lieutenant Colonel William Pesase, said the slain NPA rebels were involved in extortion activities in Canlaon City, as well as in the neighboring towns of La Castellana and Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental.
Pesase said his men were still establishing the relationships of the three slain rebels as they all have the same last names.
Government forces recovered a KG9 submachine gun, a .45 pistol, a .38 revolver, subversive documents, and the slain rebels’ personal belongings./PN
