By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – Two alleged high-ranking leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in a clash with the military at Hacienda Paraiso, Barangay Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, early Saturday.
The Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (IB) identified the fatalities as Hans Ponteras, in his mid-40s, also known as “Jojo,” “Lance,” “Teddy,” and “Mojo,” and Marissa Pobresa, 23, who used the aliases “Kim,” “Renz,” and “Mia.”
According to the Army, Ponteras was an acting regional front secretary and finance officer of the Regional Taxation Implementing Group (RTIG) under Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor (KR-NCBS).
Pobresa, a former Squad 1 member of the Sentro de Grabidad (SDG) platoon of the dismantled Central Negros (CN) 2, was reportedly promoted as a primary staff of Ponteras and regional communication officer of the NPA.
Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, commander of the 79th IB, said this encounter dealt a major blow to the NPA network in Negros and the entire Western and Central Visayas.
“The neutralization of these two high-ranking leaders signals their near decimation, further weakening their leaderless band of bandits and making them futile and hopeless,” Calaoagan said.
The Army added that Ponteras was known among former cadres as a key figure in extortion and recruitment activities. He was allegedly the author and signatory of extortion letters and death threats issued under the code name ‘Armando Magbanua’ of the Apolonario Gatmaitan Command of Negros Island.
The Army also confirmed that Ponteras had two arrest warrants for attempted murder, along with other regional and guerrilla front personalities involved in various NPA operations.
1st Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, 79th IB civil-military officer, revealed that Pobresa was allegedly recruited into the armed struggle at 16 years old.
Samoza said the encounter occurred at 1:51 a.m., when military troops launched a focused military operation in the area, following a similar clash on Feb. 13.
Troops engaged seven suspected NPA rebels in an eight-minute firefight, resulting in the deaths of Ponteras and Pobresa.
“We have sustained our operations since the first encounter last February because we believed they were still in the area,” Samoza said.
Following the skirmish, troops recovered multiple war materials, including:
-M16 rifle
-.45-caliber pistol
Laptop
-Backpack with personal belongings
-Sling bag
-Hand grenade
-Five 40mm high-explosive grenades
-Rifle grenade
-Short magazine for M16 rifle
-Two magazines for .45 caliber pistol
-Subversive documents, including extortion letters and intelligence materials
Samoza said Pobresa’s remains had been claimed by her family, while the Army was handling the remains of Ponteras.
“After they were abandoned by their comrades, it is still the government troops who will give them a decent burial,” he added.
On Feb. 13, the 79th IB thwarted an alleged NPA extortion attempt in the province ahead of the May 12 midterm elections. During that operation, a finance officer of the Northern Negros Front was reportedly wounded, and troops recovered subversive documents containing critical intelligence.
Meanwhile, Calaoagan commended the troops for their commitment to securing Negros Occidental and vowed that operations against insurgents would continue.
“We, together with the people, will remain steadfast in our mission to end the local communist armed conflict and ensure lasting peace and security in the entire Negros Island Region,” Calaoagan said.
The 79th IB continues to urge remaining NPA members to surrender, assuring them of assistance in reintegration and amnesty programs to help them return to mainstream society.
