2 NPA fighters killed, residents displaced in Negros clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 13, 2023): 2 NPA fighters killed, residents displaced in Negros clash (By Nanette Guadalquiver)

ENCOUNTERS. A site map shows the site of the series of encounters between New People’s Army fighters and troops of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Macagahay, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental on Tuesday (June 13, 2023). The firefights led to the death of two unidentified communist rebels. (Image courtesy of 62nd Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army)

BACOLOD CITY – Two unidentified New People’s Army (NPA) fighters were killed in a series of encounters with troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) in the remote village of Macagahay in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, a report of the Philippine Army said.

The encounters came almost a month after similar clashes took place in the neighboring Barangay Quintin Remo that claimed the lives of five communist rebels.

“No casualty on the government side while two fatalities left behind by their comrades were discovered,” the 62IB, led by commander Lt. Col. William Pesase Jr., said in a statement.

At 9:08 a.m., the first encounter took place in Sitio Cupad, where the troops engaged six NPA rebels for about 20 minutes, and was followed by another clash at 9:42 a.m., which transpired for about 15 minutes.

A third firefight happened at 10:20 a.m. in Sitio Mantauyan.

During the clearing operation, the troops recovered one M16 rifle, one 12-gauge shotgun, one .38 caliber revolver, one rifle grenade, four short magazine assemblies for M16, two rounds of ammunition for a shotgun, six rounds of ammunition for a caliber .38 revolver, and 79 rounds of 5.56mm bullet for M16.

They also found two bandoliers, a binocular, two backpacks, two sling bags and a power bank.

Meanwhile, the report said the skirmishes displaced at least 32 families, who sought shelter at the evacuation center in Sitio Mantauyan and were provided food assistance by the Moises Padilla Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict through the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office.

“We again call on the wounded and fleeing rebels to voluntarily surrender. The government forces are giving you a chance to return to the fold of the law. The troops of 62IB and Philippine National Police will not stop hunting you to ensure peace and development in central Negros,” the 62IB further said.

In April, an encounter in Sitio Lower Tiyos, Barangay Quintin Remo also led to the death of Jose “Jojo” Albores, one of the leaders of the “kangaroo court” under the Central Negros Front 1 of the NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1203477