2 more NPA fighters killed in clash with soldiers in Negros

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 2, 2022): 2 more NPA fighters killed in clash with soldiers in Negros (By Nanette Guadalquiver)

RECOVERED. Items seized by troops of the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion after an encounter with Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Friday afternoon (April 1, 2022). The 20-minute firefight resulted in the death of two NPA rebels. (Photo courtesy of 94th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army)

The Philippine Army’s continuing combat operations against the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in central Negros has neutralized two more rebels in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Friday afternoon.

The latest casualties were identified as Elbert "Carding" Nicolas Quillano, platoon leader, and Jessa "Clea" Luiso Quillano, medical officer, both of Sentro de Grabidad Platoon of Central Negros Front 2. Their deaths were reported a week after two of their comrades also died in a clash with the 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) in the neighboring village.

“They belong to the same group encountered by our troops in Barangay Carabalan on March 25 and 26,” said Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, commander of 94IB, in a statement on Saturday.

At 3:30 p.m., soldiers engaged some 20 fighters of the NPA’s Sentro de Grabidad Platoon of Central Negros Front 2 in a 20-minute firefight in Sitio Kulihaw after their presence was reported by the residents.

Troops recovered from the encounter site a caliber .45-caliber pistol with ammunition, a Lenovo computer tablet, a Baofeng hand-held radio, two mobile phones, assorted medicines, and subversive documents.

Almonte said the CPP-NPA’s mass supporters in the area have grown tired of the extortion activities of the rebels, who also threaten them if they refuse to help.

“We are thankful a great number of their masses are now cooperating with the government forces so I’m asking the NPA in central Negros to surrender before it’s too late,” he added.

On March 26, siblings Arnulfo Sabanal, 41; and Jayson Sabanal, 30; both members of the NPA’s Sentro de Grabidad Platoon of Central Negros Front 2, were killed in a clash in Sitio Cunalom, Barangay Carabalan.

A day earlier, troops of the 94IB engaged the rebels twice in the same area, leading to the seizure of the NPA hideout, where they recovered firearms, explosives, mobile phones, rice supply, and suspected shabu with tooter tube, among others.

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/1171257