By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) figured in an encounter against suspected New People’s Army (NPA) at Sitio Sig-ang, Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental yesterday.
Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), said the soldiers encountered at least 20 unidentified armed persons in a 40-minute firefight around 6 a.m.
The clash happened after the Army responded to reports on the alleged presence of armed men in the area, according to Pasaporte.
Military troopers recovered from the encounter site some personal belongings believed to have been left by the NPAs.
Pasaporte believed that the NPA targeted to conduct alleged extortion activities in the area but was prevented by the residents when they reported them to the authorities.
No casualties were reported on the government side.