By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Two alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in an encounter with military troopers at Hacienda Gomez, Barangay Sag-ang, La Castellana, Negros Occidental yesterday.
The Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) has yet to identify the casualties, as of this writing.
Based on the report of the Army, military troopers launched operations following reports on the alleged extortion activities and recruitment attempt of the NPA in the area.
The soldiers encountered five remnants of Central Negros (CN) 1 for about three minutes which resulted in the neutralization of two unidentified NPA rebels reportedly abandoned by their fleeing comrades.
These remnants fled to the said town due to numerous losses in their previous lairs in the mountainous areas of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental and Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, according to the Army.
Recovered from the encounter site were an AR15 rifle, a homemade shotgun, a .45 caliber pistol, magazines with serviceable ammunition, medical paraphernalia, two backpacks, subversive documents, and other personal belongings.
The 62nd IB is grateful for the cooperation and unwavering support of civilians in Barangay Sag-ang in tracking down the NPAs.
The Army vowed to tirelessly hunt the remaining CN1 members to ensure that peace will be sustained in Central Negros.
The recent clash came two days after the 79th IB discovered an NPA camp and also clashed with the rebels at Sitio Martesan, Barangay Cambayobo, Calatrava, Negros Occidental last Monday.
