Two alleged New People’s Army rebels were killed in encounters with government soldiers in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday, while four others surrendered on Sunday, the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division reported on Wednesday, November 8.
The Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion soldiers engaged about 10 members of the weakened South West Front (SWF), Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) in two consecutive encounters at Sitio Cambaga, Barangay Yao-Yao, Cauayan, Tuesday afternoon, Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, 3ID Public Affairs Office chief, said.
The clashes resulted in the death of two unidentified alleged NPA rebels whose bodies were recovered from the encounter site, he said.
Seized from the site were an M-653 Rifle, M-14 Rifle, .45 caliber pistol, an anti-personnel mine with blasting cap, M-14 magazines, ammunition, medical paraphernalia, personal belongings, and subversive documents with high intelligence value, Javines said.
The same group of rebels were involved in an encounter with the troops of the 47th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan City, on Sept. 21, which led to the deaths of six NPA members, he added.
The seized .45 caliber pistol belonged to Sgt. Jhoerom Meguillo, one of the two soldiers killed in an ambush carried out by the same NPA group on April 3, 2021, Javines said.
Four members of the SWF bringing along one high-powered firearm voluntarily surrendered to 15IB on Sunday, Javines also said.
One of them was an active member of the SWF, he said.
Maj. Gen. Marion R. Sison, 3ID commander, congratulated Team 302nd Brigade and Team 15IB for their feats.
“These are strong and positive indications that declaring the SWF as dismantled and, subsequently, Negros Island as insurgency-free is within reach”, he said.
“Do not give them breathing space until they all go weary and opt to return to the folds of the law or suffer the same fate as their comrades,” Sison added.*