By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Personnel of the 605th company of the PNP Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB)-6 clashed with suspected members of New People’s Army (NPA) in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental Sunday.
According to Police Major Mark Angelo Junco, San Carlos City police chief, the policemen were conducting combat operation when they encountered seven fully armed men believed to be members of the NPA’s SDG/SYP platoon at Sitio Masapod, Barangay Nataban past 6 a.m.
The firefight lasted for about seven minutes.
Junco said the team discovered a hut where the alleged training and recruitment of NPA members were held.
No injuries were reported on the government side.
Authorities recovered from the scene long and short magazines of M16 rifle, three rounds of caliber .40mm ammunition, 17 rounds of 5.56mm ammunitions, 15 rounds of caliber .30 ammunitions, two detonating chords, an NPA flag, an NPA cap, training materials, subversive documents, a battery pack, and medical supplies.
Meanwhile, the Army said in a press release that a witness in the killing of a soldier in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on July 1, was allegedly killed by the NPA last Friday.
The Army said that Eldeson Martorillas was riding a motorcycle when he was ambushed by unidentified armed men at Sitio Proper, Barangay Luz.
It can be recalled that Corporal Mark Anthony Quiocson was gunned down at the same area, which is a few meters away from the witness’s house.
The military troopers believed that the NPA’s Special Partisan Unit (SParU) was behind the shooting.