Army, NPA clash triggers evacuation in Negros

From the Manila Times (Mar 24, 2019): Army, NPA clash triggers evacuation in Negros

BACOLOD CITY: A skirmish between Philippine Army troops and suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels on Thursday night forced the suspension of classes in 10 public schools and the evacuation of more than 600 people in northern Negros Occidental.

Lt. Col. Emelito Thaddeus Logan, commander of 79th Infantry Battalion, said soldiers under his unit responded to reports about the presence of suspected NPA rebels in Sitio Fuentes, Barangay Mabini, Escalante City.

A 10-minute running gunbattle ensued forcing the rebels to scamper in various directions. None of the soldiers were hit, Logan said.

As a result of the pursuit operations, a regular member of the NPA, whose identity is being withheld by the Army, surrendered, he added.

The firefight forced Toboso Mayor Richard Jaojoco to suspend classes in Uldarico Suison Elementary School, Labi-labi Elementary School, Labi-labi National High School, Stop Aguinaldo Elementary School, San Isidro Elementary School, Andres Gumban Memorial National High School, Mainit Elementary School, Bandila Elementary School, Tabun-ac Elementary School, Toril Elementary School and Salamanca Elementary School.

Fearing for their security, 381 people left their homes in the sitios (subvillages) of Barangay Mabini, and 301 others in Barangay San Jose, Toboso town.

Logan said pursuing government forces recovered P300,000 worth of medicines, several boxes of assorted canned goods and a record book containing an inventory of the medicines at the encounter site.
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“We are still validating reports of civilians that three to four rebels were injured in the gunbattle based on the bloodstains seen along withdrawal routes of the rebels,” he added.

The local governments of Escalante City and Toboso immediately distributed relief goods to the internally displaced persons temporarily staying in two schools in both areas.

Last March 12, troops from the 15th Infantry Battalion captured an NPA fighter identified as Arnel “July” Sairot, following an encounter at Sitio Bunga, Barangay Salong in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

Sairot, 21, of Escalante City in northern Negros was among the fully-armed rebels who engaged the troops that conducted combat operations based on reports of the NPA’s extortion activities.

He was captured while the soldiers were conducting pursuit operations and clearing the area after his comrades retreated.

https://www.manilatimes.net/army-npa-clash-triggers-evacuation-in-negros/530084/