2 NPA rebels killed in central Negros clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 21, 2023): 2 NPA rebels killed in central Negros clash (By Nanette Guadalquiver)

SEIZED. The firearms, ammunition and other items recovered by troops of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion after their encounter with New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental before midnight on Thursday (July 20, 2023). The clash led to the death of two communist rebels, one of whom was a guerrilla unit leader of Central Negros Front 1. (Photo courtesy of 62nd Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army)

BACOLOD CITY – Troops of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) recovered two bodies of New People’s Army (NPA) fighters, following an encounter in the hinterlands of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental minutes before midnight on Thursday.

In a report on Friday, the 62IB identified one of the fatalities as Marivic “Ivan” Ebarle, commanding officer of Section Guerilla Unit under the Central Negros Front 1 (CN1), while the other one, also a male, has yet to be identified.

Two other communist rebels were also wounded, based on the bloodstain found in their withdrawal route, the report said.

“The troops immediately responded to information of the enemy presence from the report of concerned citizens in Barangay Montilla,” the 62IB, led by Lt. Col. William Pesase Jr., said in a statement.

The soldiers engaged some six NPA rebels during the 15-minute firefight in Sitio Kawayanan.

After an exchange of fire, they found the two bodies and also recovered a cal.45 pistol with 21 rounds of ammunition and a cal.357 revolver with six rounds of ammunition.

Other seized items included two steel magazines for cal.45 pistol, medical kits with assorted medicines, and two backpacks containing personal items.

The 62IB said communist rebels led by Ebarle were considered the primary suspects in the killing of civilians, harassment, and extortion activities in Barangays Macagahay and Quintin Remo as well as in some villages in the neighboring La Castellana town in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

The death of Ebarle and his comrade were the latest setbacks of the NPA in central Negros since the skirmishes in Moises Padilla started last April, which then claimed the life of Jose “Jojo” Albores, one of the leaders of the “kangaroo court” under the CN1, during a clash in Sitio Lower Tiyos, Barangay Quintin Remo.

In May, five NPA rebels were killed during a skirmish in Barangay Quintin Remo while in June, two others were also killed in a clash in Barangay Macagahay.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1206136