Soldier, rebel killed in NegOr

From the Visayan Daily Star (Jun 24, 2019): Soldier, rebel killed in NegOr

An Army soldier and a suspected New People’s Army rebel died, while two other government troopers were injured in an encounter with about 20 communist rebels almost midnight of Saturday in Sitio Kambugtong, Brgy. Bantolinao, Manjuyod, Negros Oriental.

The encounter took place two days after two suspected NPA rebels also died after they harassed a military outpost on Friday in Sitio Kakha, Brgy. Talalac, Siaton, Negros Oriental.

The fatality in the encounter yesterday was identified as Cpl. Leoter Cagape, while injured were PFC Emmanuel Paja and Pvt. Deny Reyes, based on an initial report of the Philippine Army.

Meanwhile, the slain rebel, whose cadaver was left behind at the encounter site by his fleeing comrades, has not been identified as of this writing.

The encounter between the 94th Infantry Battalion and 704th Regional Mobile Force Battalion troopers and about 20 NPA rebels lasted for more than one hour, before the NPA rebels scampered in various directions.

Recovered from the encounter site were five improvised landmines and their accessories, a rifle grenade, a fragmentation grenade, assorted magazines of M-16 and AK47 and garand rifles containing 268 rounds of ammunition, 13 cellular phones, six jungle hammocks, six backpacks, medical equipment and kits, knives and scissors, cooking utensils and personal belongings, food and subversive documents.

Brig. Gen. Ignacio Madriaga, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said the encounter site is about 1.6 kilometer away from an area in the barangay, where a medical mission was initiated on Saturday by the Office of the Presidential Assistant for the Visayas (OPV), that was organized by the Police Regional Office 7, in coordination with the local government unit of Manjuyod town.

Before the medical activity in the area, Madriaga said they received persistent reports of the NPA conducting checkpoints and issued warnings to civilians not to participate in the government undertakings, as they will be using land mines.

But he said the medical mission of the OPV on Saturday turned out to be successful, despite the rebel threats to civilians.

As clearing operations of government troopers continued on Saturday night, Madriaga said that 94IB and RMFB 7 troopers figured in more than 30 minutes of armed clashes with about 20 rebels in the same barangay.

The fleeing rebels left behind at the encounter site their slain comrade, whose identity is still being established, as well as assorted war materials and personal belongings discovered and retrieved by government forces, he added.

Madriaga said the two Army soldiers suffered slight injuries, but the other one was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Dumaguete City.

He, however, raised the possibility that those encountered by the 94IB and RMFB 7 troopers in Manjuyod came from a different unit of the NPA.

He identified the two NPA rebels killed in the attack of a military detachment Friday in Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental, as Lito Sotabento, alias Jessa, from Brgy. Dobdob, Valencia, Negros Oriental, and Antonio Cardina, and alias Marlo, who hails from Brgy. Avocado, Santa Catalina, all in Negros Oriental.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/June/24/topstory3.htm