BACOLOD City – Hundreds of residents fled their homes and classes were suspended following an encounter between government forces and armed rebels in Sitio Bairan, Barangay General Luna, Toboso, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday morning, March 18.
Police Colonel Rainerio de Chavez, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO), said gun battle ensued between the soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion and around 10 armed men believed to be members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) past 7 a.m.
Three soldiers who were reportedly injured were being treated at a hospital.
De Chavez said around 334 residents of sitios Bairan and Tabun-ac evacuated for their safety.
Toboso’s Councilor Richard Jaojoco, meanwhile, said the displaced residents are currently taking shelter at the covered court and Hilario Amparado Elementary School in Barangay General Luna.
“Through our Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office, we take care of the evacuees. We give them food and some of their basic needs. We did not allow them to go home yet while the military is still conducting a clearing operation within the encounter site,” he added.
Mayor Madonna Jaojoco also issued an executive order suspending classes on Wednesday, March 19, in four elementary schools within Barangay General Luna to ensure the safety of the students, teachers and school personnel.
These four schools are Hilario Amparado Elementary School, Tabun-ac Elementary School, Socorro Estrada Elementary School, and General Luna Elementary School.
“Not until the Army will declare that the encounter site is already cleared, we will not dare allowing classes in these schools to resume,” the mayor said.
As of 10 p.m. on Tuesday, De Chavez said clearing operations were ongoing in Sitio Bairan.
He also ordered operatives of the Toboso Municipal Police Station to check all hospitals in neighboring localities such as the cities of Cadiz, Escalante and San Carlos and the town of Calatrava for possible confinement of the possibly wounded rebels, who were able to escape from the pursuing Army personnel.
The NOCPPO director further ordered all police stations in 31 towns and cities in the province to be on alert for possible occurrence of similar gun battle between the government forces and the rebels in their respective territorial jurisdictions./PN
