Army maintains brothers killed in Negros clash both NPA fighters

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 30, 2022): Army maintains brothers killed in Negros clash both NPA fighters (By Nanette Guadalquiver)

The Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) has dismissed claims the two brothers killed in a clash with troops of the 94th Infantry Battalion in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on March 26 were not fighters of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).

The fatalities were identified as Sabanal brothers Arnulfo, 41, and Jayson, 30, both residents of Purok Lunoy in Sitio Cunalom, Barangay Carabalan, and members of the NPA’s Sentro de Grabidad Platoon of Central Negros Front 2 (CNF 2), whose cadavers were already claimed by their relatives, the 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) confirmed on Tuesday.

In a statement, Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of 303IBde, said the two were not taken away by the soldiers but were among those who engaged the soldiers and were killed in a firefight.

“They were also identified by former CNF 2 members as those being utilized by the NPA to act as couriers and to the track movements of army personnel in operating in the area,” he added.

Pasaporte said it is also possible the monocular scope recovered by troops at the encounter site was being used by the rebels to observe the troops.

In a local news report, the younger Sabanal's common-law wife said her partner and his brother were farmers raising hogs and were taken away and killed by soldiers.

Pasaporte said government troops do not engage in such acts because they respect human rights.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The National Democratic Front has been formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1170978