ILOILO – Philippine Army troops and armed men clashed in Sitio Butuan, Barangay Igcabugao, Igbaras, Iloilo. One suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebel died.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Sisenando Magbalot, commander of the 61st Infantry (Hunter) Battalion (61IB), the encounter happened around 11:30 a.m. on Monday.
His troops were in Barangay Igcabugao verifying reports that some 10 armed men were roaming in Igbaras’ hinterland villages.
Around 20 rebels fired at the soldiers, said Magbalot.
The armed men were believed to be members of the Suyak Platoon, Southern Front Committee of NPA Panay.
The firefight lasted for some 30 minutes.
The casualty was identified as Casimiro Talaman alias “Ka Boy” of Sitio Cadinglian, Barangay Boloc, Tubungan, Iloilo and suspected member of the Napoleon Tumagtang Command, Southern Front Committee.
Talaman was subjected to a paraffin test by the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) crime laboratory.
Nine personalities were held for interview after the encounter and were released afterwards.
Based on the investigation, they were mere passersby and residents of the village where the encounter occurred.
Government troops recovered from the encounter site one backpack containing ammunitions, an improvised explosive device and three gallons of gasoline.
There were no casualties or injuries on the government side.
The Army believed the gasoline was intended for the torching of the facilities of Century Peak Energy Corp. (CPEC).
Just this August a pickup ferrying CPEC employees and 61IB personnel was ambushed by rebels, wounding one worker of the company.
In the rebels also torched several heavy equipment of CPEC used to construct a mini-hydro project in Barangay Igcabugao.
Meanwhile, Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, regional police director, ordered all police units in Western Visayas to stay on alert.
He further instructed police units surrounding the encounter areas watch out for a possible “spill over” and check for wounded persons who might be brought to nearby hospitals or clinics.
Bulalacao also reminded the public not to support the NPA. He said the rebels were conducting tactical offensives to sow fear in communities and increasing their extortion activities this election season./PN
