An alleged New People’s Army rebel was killed in a clash with 94th Infantry Battalion soldiers in Sitio Maliko-Liko, Brgy Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, 6:30 a.m. Monday, January 9.
The 94th IB soldiers and the police responded to a report that armed rebels were conducting extortion activities and asking for food in Sitio Maliko-liko, which resulted in a five-minute firefight with about 10 rebels identified as members of the NPA Central Negros 2 – Komiteng Rehiyon Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor (CN2-KR-NCBS) group, the 303RD Infantry Brigade reported.
The rebels left behind their dead comrade, it said.
Recovered from the scene of the encounter were one M-14 rifle, a M79 grenade launcher, two M-16 rifles, a rifle grenade, seven M-14 rifle magazines and ammunition, one M-4 rifle magazine and ammunition, four grenade launcher ammunition, two bandoliers, a backpack, NPA flag and subversive documents.
Col. Michael Samson, 303rd Brigade Commander, said the encounter in Barangay Carabalan was a result of information provided by residents in the area on the presence of the armed group to the 94IB.
This is a clear indication that the NPA is losing the support of the masses, he said.
As long as there are remaining armed rebels who continue to threaten the peacefulness of communities, the Army in Negros will be relentless in pursuit of the perpetrators of murder, arson, extortion and other atrocities, Samson said.
“The long arm of the law will eventually bring them to the bar of justice,” Samson added.*