BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – Two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels died while two soldiers were wounded in separate clashes in Negros Occidental yesterday.
In Isabela town, a rebel died in a gun battle with soldiers from the 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) and the 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) of the Philippine Army.
Government troops encountered at least 15 rebels at the boundary of Isabela and Binalbagan town, said Colonel Orlando Edralin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IBde).
The initial encounter erupted around 2:32 a.m. Edralin said three gun battles occurred during the day.
Prior to the skirmishes, Lieutenant Colonel Von Donald Almonte, 94IB commander, said they received information that the rebels were planning to attack a detachment of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit in Isabela.
The NPA unit was believed to be from the Central Negros 2.
In Escalante City, another NPA rebel died in an encounter between the 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) and rebels around 10:45 a.m. yesterday.
The 303IBde also confirmed two soldiers were wounded.
Government troops seized one M14 rifle, three rifle grenades, three 40mm high explosive grenades, and the rebels’ personal belongings.
Authorities have yet to identify the last two fatalities as of press time.
The first rebel fatality was killed in a gun battle with troops of the 62IB in Barangay Quentin Remo, Moises Padilla town on Tuesday, April 18.
Jose “Jojo” Albores belonged to the Central Negros Front 1 of the Leonardo Panaligan Command and was one of the leaders of the “kangaroo court” tasked to kill members tagged as government assets and civilians who refuse to support the armed struggle, according to the Army./PN
