By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – An intense firefight between suspected New People’s Army (NPA) members and the Philippine National Police (PNP) – 6th Special Action Force Battalion (6SAB) resulted in the deaths of four alleged rebels, and injured three others, including a police officer, at Barangay Tabu, Ilog, Negros Occidental Tuesday morning.
Police have yet to identify the four slain rebels.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Ryan Manongdo, 6SAB commander, said one of the two wounded rebels was identified as Nilda Bertulano, alleged secretary of the Southwest Front, who wounded her shoulder during the firefight.
Manongdo said the two wounded rebels are now in a hospital.
A member of the 6SAB suffered minor injuries in his chest after his vest was hit during the encounter, but he is okay.
Manongdo said the 6SAB was at the area by chance when they crossed paths with the unidentified armed men believed to be NPAs.
“Parang nagkabulagaan tapos nagkaputukan na,” he added.
The firefight lasted for about an hour, but no civilians were harmed as the encounter site is far from the houses, he said.
Manongdo said that nine individuals who were seen near the encounter site were held for investigation. But only four of them were reportedly confirmed to have links with the NPA.
These four alleged rebels are detained at Ilog Municipal Police Station.
The five others will still be questioned why they were at the said area during that time, but no cases will be filed against them, he added.
Authorities initially recovered two M16 rifles, an AK47, and other firearms.
Manongdo said the 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB)-6, and the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) augmented them during the clearing operation.
Manongdo said the area was already cleared late in the afternoon.
