Friday, February 21, 2014

NPA leader killed in Calatrava battle

From the Visayan Daily Star (Feb 22): NPA leader killed in Calatrava battle
  
An alleged leader of the New People's Army, believed to be among those who harassed a temporary military outpost Monday in Brgy. Winaswasan, Calatrava, Negros Occidental, was found dead yesterday, the military said.

Lt. Col. Efren Morados, 62 nd Infantry Battalion commander, yesterday said the cadaver of Lorfe Bagaforo, alias Trese, vice-squad leader of the Sentro De Grabidad Platoon of the Northern Negros Front, was positively identified and claimed by his mother, Dormitiya.

Morados said Bagaforo, who succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds, is believed to have been hit, when members of the 62IB Bayanihan Team, retaliated, after being fired at by about 16 rebels Monday night in Sitio Aniya, Brgy, Winaswasan, Calatrava.

He said the sporadic exchange of fire lasted for five to seven minutes, and the rebels withdrew, leaving heavy traces of bloodstains, a live round of a M-203 grenade launcher, 17 rounds from a M-16 assault rifle, a magazine of a M-14 rifle, and a backpack containing subversive documents.

The body of Bagaforo, that was already in an advanced state of decomposition, was found in a sugarcane field in Sitio Guinpungtan, Brgy. Hilub-ang, which is adjacent to Brgy, Winaswasan, Calatrava.

No casualty was reported on the government side.

Morados said he believes three other rebels were injured, as indicated by the presence of bloodstains in the area, where the rebels had positioned themselves while harassing the 62IB Bayanihan team members.

About 30 Bayanihan teams were deployed by the 303 rd Infantry Brigade to assist the provincial government and multi-sectoral groups in addressing the concerns of residents in conflict-affected communities of Escalante City, Toboso and Calatrava.

Bagaforo's body was retrieved by Hilub-ang barangay residents headed by their village chairman, Edgar Dawlong Yangyang, who turned it over to the 62IB and the Calatrava police.

Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad,3 rd Infantry Division commander, in a statement, he issued, extended his sympathy to the family and friends of Bagaforo.

“It is tragic that he had taken arms against the people of Negros”, Baladad said.

“To those who might have been wounded during the encounter, we are ready to extend our help through medical assistance,” he added.

On September last year, Hergon Llorente, alias Ka Boboy, a squad leader of the NNF Sentro De Grabidad, also died in an encounter with the 62IB in Brgy. Puey, Sagay City. His body was also discovered in a sugarcane field in Sitio Vergara, Brgy. Bug-ang, Toboso, military records also show.

In successive encounters in the boundary of Toboso and Sagay City, two suspected rebels were captured by the military and police, who also recovered nine high-powered firearms, including M-16, M14 and AK-47 assault rifles, and two .45-caliber pistols.

Baladad lauded the local government officials and residents of Calatrava for this efforts in providing information that led to the successful conduct of peace and development operations in their area.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/February/22/topstory7.htm

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