ILOILO City – Troops of the Philippine Army’s 82nd Infantry Battalion exchanged fire with the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sitio Bacan, Barangay Barasalon, Janiuay, Iloilo yesterday.
The encounter with four armed men who served as security guards of Baloy Platoon, Central Front Committee started at 8:27 a.m. while the soldiers were having an offensive operation, according to Lieutenant Colonel J-Jay Javines, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID).
Javines said the rebels fled to Antique province after around 10 minutes of gun battle.
“No reported wounded or dead from the side of the army or the NPA during the encounter,” Javines said.
The 3ID sent more soldiers to the area for the manhunt operation.
Just recently, a suspected NPA leader and the No. 8 wanted in Iloilo province was arrested on Fuentes Street, Barangay Hipodromo in this city, for a string of criminal charges.
Jonathan “Bambie” Emolaga, the vice commanding officer of Front Operational Committee of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay, was jailed at Iloilo City Police Station 1 on Nov. 9 for:
* double attempted murder under Criminal Case No. 2936; warrant of arrest issued by Judge Nelson Bartolome of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 67, dated Sept. 27, 2016, with no bail recommended
* attempted murder and multiple attempted murders; arrest warrant issued by Judge Irene Banzuela-Dulo of RTC Branch 67, dated Sept. 21, 2021, with a P120,000 bail bond
* attempted homicide; arrest warrant issued by Judge Kathryn Rose Hitalia-Baliatan of the Municipal Trial Court, dated June 21, 2023, with a P36,000 bail bond./PN
