An alleged New People’s Army rebel was wounded in a clash with the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion at Sitio Caranawan, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, 4:22 a.m. Thursday, December 7.
The encounter occurred while the troops were conducting combat operations in response to the reported presence of remnants of the NPA’s Central Negros 2, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) extorting money and food from the residents in the area, Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, 3rd Infantry Division spokesman, said.
An about eight-minute firefight between the 94IB troops and four members of the NPA took place, after which the rebels fled with their wounded comrade, he said.
Seized from the encounter site were an M-16 rifle with long and short magazines, and personal belongings.
“The vigilance of the locals in providing information is one of the reasons why our soldiers were able to respond and thwart the extortion activities of these NPAs quickly. Let us continue to collaborate to fully achieve our fervent desire for a communist terrorist group-free Himamaylan City and Negros Island,” Maj. Gen. Marion R. Sison, 3ID commander, said.
Sison also reiterated the call to the remaining NPA rebels to give peace a chance while they still have time to return to the folds of the government and start a new and productive life by availing of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
Meanwhile, the Army identified the rebel who was killed in an encounter with 62nd Infantry “Unifier” Battalion troops at Sitio Caranawan, Brgy Amontay, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday.
The casualty was identified as Braulio Tobalado, alias Bruno, a member of Central Negros 1 of the NPA.
The body of Tobalado was turned over to his family at Sabino Funeral Homes in Brgy Poblacion, Binabalgan, Thursday.*