Seven suspected members of the rebel New People’s Army (NPA), including one female, clashed with government forces at Barangay Tanlad, Tayasan town in northern Negros Oriental early Wednesday morning.
An initial report disclosed that members of the Civilian Armed Auxiliary (CAA) of the Philippine Army, while conducting security patrol around 2:15 a.m. some 300 meters from their detachment in Sitio Bulabog 2, Barangay Tanlad, came across the alleged NPA group.
The CAAs, led by a certain Corporal Galapin, exchanged fire with the suspected rebels for about 20 minutes before the latter splintered into two groups as they withdrew towards Sitio Pagatanan, also in Barangay Tanlad.
No casualties were reported on the government side.
Recovered from the site of the encounter were one calilber .45 pistol with Serial Number 3093040 and one magazine with six rounds of live ammunition.
Brig. Gen. Francisco Patrimonio, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army based in
However, the suspected rebels could not come any closer to the well-secured detachment, he added.
Brig. Gen. Patrimonio described Wednesday’s encounter as a show of force by the NPA which is now feeling the pressure of the government in obtaining lasting peace in Negros Oriental.
Patrimonio said the NPA’s Larangan Guerilla-1 operating in northern Negros Oriental now has only about 40 members from 74 as many have already transferred to Negros Occidental.
According to Patrimonio, while Negros Oriental is soon to be declared conflict manageable and development ready by early May, there is still a risk that NPAs from the Negros Occidental side would cross boundaries and undertake harassment activities in Negros Oriental.
But, despite such risks, the military is ready to take them on any time, Patrimonio added.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=639387
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