The Army foiled New People’s Army (NPA) extortion and recovery activities in Northern Negros as an armed clash ensued between the Army’s 79th Infantry “Masaligan” Battalion and NPA rebels in Sitio Seraje of Barangay San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental, late Thursday afternoon, April 6.
“The encounter transpired after information was given by local residents who are fed up with the NPAs’ forced extortion and deceptive propaganda in their locality”, a 303rd Infantry Brigade statement said Friday.
A government trooper was wounded during the gun battle but is now in stable condition at a medical facility in Bacolod City.
Government troops seized several war materials, including two homemade shotguns, two
magazines for a shotgun, two live ammunition for shotgun, six medicine kits, six hammocks, two pairs of rainboots, one cellphone battery, personal belongings and subversive documents with high intelligence value, it said.
Civilian witnesses also reported that there were several wounded NPAs fleeing the encounter site.
Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said “I appreciate the continued support of our locals who now understand that the communist-terrorists NPAs are the menace of the society who feed their personal and selfish desires on the poor masses.”
He also commended “the tireless efforts of the Officers and troops of 79th IB under LTC J-Jay Javines who acted immediately to the information given by the locals.”
The 303rd Infantry Brigade reiterated its call to the remaining members of the NPA terrorists to return to the folds of the law.
They should surrender and avail of the government’s E-CLIP program which will greatly help them as they re-integrate into society again together with their families,it said.*