By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – Military authorities arrested a suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) and rescued two female minors in two separate clashes at Barangay Sandayao, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental last Friday.
Troopers of the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) apprehended 20-year-old Rennel Remasog, while they withheld the names of the two minors.
On August 14, the soldiers encountered about 15 unidentified armed men separately at Sitio Maluy-a, and Sitio Tabago, while they were pursuing armed rebels after a previous clash at Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental last Thursday.
The Guihulngan clash resulted in the death of Rickim Marosino Remasog, 21, an alleged member of Leonardo Panaligan Command (LPC)- NPA, SYP Platoon Central Negros (CN1).
Two members of the 62nd IB were also injured in the encounter.
Recovered from the encounter sites were a .22 caliber Carbine rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, two .45-caliber pistols, 140 rounds of 7.62mm ball ammunitions, cellular phones, three cartridge cases of 40mm high explosives, a commercial radio, a 20 rounder magazine, 22 rounds of 5.56mm live ammunition, six caliber 5.56mm ammunition shells, five backpacks with personal belongings, a solar panel, 20 meters electric wires believed to be used for Improvised Explosive Device (IED), and a half sack of rice.
In a statement, Lieutenant Colonel Melvin Flores, commander of 62nd IB, said the rebels have a choice to surrender or face the consequences of their actions.
“We know that you are tired and hungry, it is now the right time for you to think and go back to your family, but if you don’t, we don’t have a choice but to do our duty to enforce the full force of the law and protect the people,” he added.
The Army reiterated its call for support from the local residents by reporting the presence of the fleeing NPAs through these hotline numbers (+63)9567414044 and (+63)9300072305.
‘FAKE ENCOUNTERS’
Meanwhile, the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command (AGC)-NPA slammed the Army for the “fabricated” recent encounters and arrests in Negros Oriental.
Ka Juanito Magbanua, spokesperson of AGC-NPA, said in a statement dated August 16 that the Army were ambushed by red fighters, which resulted in the reported death of 10 soldiers, contrary to the reported two injured soldiers.
“It is ironic to note that in legitimate encounters, it is also the practice of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to hide the true number of their casualties,” he added.
Magbanua also said the recent encounter “in reality victimized innocent, unarmed civilians- leaving one tortured, amputated and killed, with three minors arrested and detained in a military detachment, whom they later claimed to be ‘rescued’.”
Magbanua said that since 2018, at least four fake encounters happened all over the island, and thousands of fake and enforced surrenderers peddling their fake community support and local integration programs.
“Yet, the NPA still stands strong in five guerrilla fronts in the island,” he added.
He said the NPA-Negros will intensify its tactical offensives in the island, guided by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and enjoying the support of the revolutionary masses, adding that the armed struggle will only gain even more ground.
