BACOLOD City – Residents displaced by a series of encounters between government forces and communist insurgents in Northern Negros Occidental last week have been allowed to return home after receiving clearance from the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) over the weekend.
Escalante City Police Chief Major John Ganzon reported that more than a hundred families from Barangay Pinapugasan in the city were affected by a total of eight gun battles from Wednesday, Feb. 21, to Thursday, Feb. 22.
These clashes between the 79IB troops and New People’s Army rebels resulted in the deaths of three rebels and culminated in an airstrike by the Philippine Air Force on Thursday night, according to authorities.
Ganzon added that the city government has extended aid to the affected residents.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the three deceased rebels were retrieved from the encounter site in Sitio Mansulao, Barangay Pinapugasan, on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 24.
Authorities identified the fatalities as Emaren Pastidio, Michael Cabahug, and Jose Caramihan.
According to 79IB commander Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Calaogan, Pastidio and Cabahug were previously identified as “child soldiers” and had been captured by the 79IB.
The two were given the chance to live a normal life with their families; however, they rejoined the NPA.
Pastidio was also recognized by the Philippine Army as a high-ranking member of the dismantled Northern Negros Front, serving as their medic and cultural officer. He is also believed to have married Renato Salino Jr., another high-ranking official of the Northern Negros Front.
The bodies of the rebels were turned over to the village officials with San Carlos City Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and Dian-Ay Parish priest Father Wilfredo Bayohin as witnesses.
Authorities also recovered weapons and explosives from the rebels, which were promptly turned over to the operatives of the Philippine National Police-Scene of the Crime Operatives. Calaogan stated they want the remains of the three rebels to receive a decent burial.
After turning over the remains, the 79IB immediately convened a meeting with the officials of Barangay Pinapugasan, assuring them that they would continue to ensure the safety of the village’s residents and protect them from the influence of communism.
In addition to the three rebel casualties, four soldiers, including an active auxiliary member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit, were wounded.
The four, identified as 2nd Lieutenant Frenz Jarey Gonzales, Private First Class (PFC) Sandie Cebayle, PFC Jiezard Mesina, and CAA Eduardo Linogon, are now recovering in a private hospital in Bacolod City.
Colonel Victor Llapitan, the 303rd Infantry Brigade deputy commander, visited the four on Friday night and awarded them the Wounded Personnel Medal in recognition of their heroic and exemplary efforts in battling the NPA rebels.
The 79IB earlier stated that the clashes in Northern Negros initially occurred on Feb. 21 after they received information that suspected NPA rebels were extorting food and supplies from local residents. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
