Himamaylan City social welfare personnel conduct Pychosocial First Aid for children at the evacuation centers*Himamaylan CSWDO photo
Clashes between government soldiers and New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, on Thursday and Friday, October 6 and 7, caused 1,767 residents to evacuate and the cancellation of classes in affected areas.
There were 1,767 Carabalan residentswho sought refuge at evacuation in Himamaylan City and Payao in Binalbagan town, Himamaylan Mayor Raymund Tongson said.
Jenelyn Rosalim, an evacuee, said she ran 4 kilometers from the farm where she was working to her home when she heard the exchange of gunfire on Thursday, and gathered up her 10 children.
Her legs still hurt from running, she said at a Himamaylan evacuation center on Friday.
Department of Social Services and Development personnel conducted debriefing activities for children from the encounter areas, who are now staying at evacuation centers.
Tongson said the evacuees belonging to 436 families from Carabalan had been evacuating since Thursday but some had gone home on Friday.
The Carabalan residents are being provided food and assistance at the evacuation centers in barangays 3 and Cabadiangan, and at other sites, he said.
Tongson said the movement of their rescue teams are restricted by ongoing military operations.
Himamaylan City has a mobile team on standby in case they need to pull out additional evacuees from Carabalan, he said.
Tongson, who appealed for prayers, assured that the city government is doing its best to assist the evacuees and is coordinating with the Philippine Army.
Classes at all levels in barangays Carabalan and Cabadiangan were cancelled for the safety of the students, he said.
The Philippine National Police was insuring that those leaving Carabalan were legitimate evacuees, PMaj. Randy Babor, Himamaylan police chief, said.
There were 36 families with 159 individuals from Carabalan who evacuated to Barangay Payao in Binalbagan Friday, Binalbangan Vice Mayor Mary Ann Mirasol said.
Classes at all levels in barangays Payao and Biao in Binalbagan, located at the border of Carabalan, had been suspended to ensure the safety of the students, Jearnie Rondin, Binalbagan Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head, said.
Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Brigade commander, said their soldiers had three encounters with the rebels in the hinterland barangay of Carabalan since Thursday.
Some rebels were believe injured as bloodstains were seen at the encounter sites, he said.
Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte and Lt.Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94IB commander, aboard a Philippine Air Force Blackhawk helicopter conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the encounter sites on Friday.*Brown Eagle photo
He said the first encounter was at 6:05 a.m. Thursday when 𝟗𝟒𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 soldiers encountered about 20 rebels in 𝐒itio 𝐒𝐢𝐠-𝐚𝐧𝐠, Carabalan.
Continuing Army pursuit operations led to a second encounter at 3:45 p.m. Thursday and at 4:36 a.m. Friday in Carabalan, Pasaporte said.
The rebels who were trapped in the area where seeking cover in sugarcane fields, he said.
He said reports of civilian casualties were not true.
Pasaporte and Lt.Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94IB commander, on board a Philippine Air Force Blackhawk helicopter conducted an aerial reconnaissance of the encounter sites on Friday.
The aerial reconnaissance aims to provide real-time information to ground force commanders, to have an accurate view of the encounter sites and to further assess the ongoing troop operations, he said.*