The Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) has identified the three slain members of the New People’s Army in a series of encounters with the troops of 79th Infantry Battalion at Sitio Mansulao, Barangay Pinapugasan, in Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, February 21.
The three slain rebels were identified as Emaryn Pastedio, alias Jandy; Christopher Ebarle, alias Michael; and Jose Caramihan, alias Jose, Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, 3ID spokesman, said in a press release.
Jandy, the party wife of Renato Salino Jr., alias Telyong/Peta, also a high-ranking cadre of the defunct Northern Negros Front, was the NNF medic/cultural officer. She was previously apprehended during an encounter in San Carlos City but was later released due to being a minor, Javines said.
In 2021, during an encounter in Talisay City, she left her 2-month-old infant at the site as she fled from government forces. The infant was subsequently rescued and surrendered to the Talisay Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Javines added.
Ebarle is the eldest son of Roger Cabahug, alias JK/Maochi/Gogong, and Nelsie Ebarle, also known as Lea, of the NNF, Javines said.
He was one among the four siblings that the 79IB and DSWD Calatrava tried to recover after their parents left them in the custody of a mass supporter in Brgy. Hilub-ang, Calatrava. However, the effort to rescue the children was unsuccessful as they refused to go with the DSWD personnel and opted to stay in Brgy Hilub-ang Calatrava, he said.
After a few days, their parents retrieved them and transferred them for custody to another mass supporter. Months later, alias Michael was reported to have joined his parents, Javines said.*