The Leonardo Panaligan Command of the New People’s Army (NPA) claimed that the encounter between the rebels and the state troopers at Brgy. Trinidad in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, Wednesday, September 7, was “fake.”
There was no NPA unit in the area when the incident happened, it claimed.
The soldiers of the 62nd Infantry “Unifier” Battalion were at the site after reports that rebels were sighted in the area, which resulted to the clash with eight NPA members, the Army statement said.
The five-minute firefight led to the death of 45-year-old Greg “Jordan” Cantilla, an alleged member of Sentro De Grabidad Platoon, CN1, and a resident of Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City.
The NPA claimed that the “massacred” victim was a farmer.
Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said that the operation was legitimate and this was just a lie perpetrated by the rebel group to cover up the encounter.*