By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – An alleged member of the New People’s Army (NP) was killed in an encounter, while 19 others surrendered to the military troopers in Negros Oriental.
The slain rebel was identified as Cristanto Estrabela Lagradilla alias “Locsin,” an alleged member of Squad 2 of dismantled South East Front (SEF). Lagradilla was among the armed men who engaged in a clash with the troopers of the 11th Infantry Battalion (IB) at Sitio Tamusi, Barangay Talalak, Sta. Catalina town on July 1.
According to a report from the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), the soldiers were conducting combat operations in response to reports on the alleged presence of unidentified armed men in the area, when they clashed with at least five members of SEF, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor. The firefight lasted for eight minutes.
Recovered from the encounter site were a KG9 rifle, a magazine of KG9 with 20 rounds of ammunition, a magazine of M16 with eight rounds of ammunition, a magazine of .45 caliber firearm with three rounds of ammunition, a bandolier, two radios, a backpack, and subversive documents.
Meanwhile, 19 suspected NPA members in central Negros surrendered to the 94th IB at the headquarters in Barangay Tambo, Ayungon town, the following day.
The rebel returnees took their oath of allegiance to the government to officially cut their ties with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA-National Democratic Front (NDF) and publicly denounced the Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs). They also burned the CPP-NPA-NDF flag.
They are currently under the custody of the 94th IB, as they will undergo assessment and debriefing to officially avail the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government.
