BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) insurgent was killed and two others were captured in Barangay Malasibog, Escalante City, Negros Occidental early Thursday morning.
The fatality was identified as Wilson Yanog of Sitio Tinibiangan, Barangay Minapasuk, Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
The two others arrested were Joel Manguiran and Jessie Labisto.
Major Cenon Pancito, Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) spokesperson, said the three were remnants of the NPA’s North Negros Front.
According to Pancito, elements of the Alpha Company of the 79th Infantry Battalion were sent to Barangay Malasibog after receiving information from residents about several armed individuals in the area.
While heading to the area, Pancito said the troops crossed paths with a riding-in-tandem, which motorcycle matched a vehicle reportedly used by an NPA asset.
The troops ordered the motorcycle driver to stop, however, the latter reportedly sped away. This prompted the soldiers to contact a separate unit.
The separate unit then encountered the motorcycle and this time the riders opened fire, prompting the soldiers to return fire.
One of the riders died; the other managed to escape on foot.
Meanwhile, the main unit also encountered a multi-cab just a few minutes after the gun battle, and when troops checked the vehicle, they discovered that one of the occupants was armed, prompting them to make the arrest.
A search of the multi-cab revealed that it was carrying subversive documents and a computer hard drive with high intelligence value, as well as food supplies.
Pancito said they believed the multi-cab was used as a “resupply vehicle” for the NPA insurgents in the area.
The two individuals they arrested in the multi-cab are now under the custody of the Escalante City police station./PN
