A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) fighter was killed while his comrade was injured following an hour-long firefight with Army troopers in Barangay Cansalungon, Isabela, Negros Occidental on Friday afternoon.
A report from the operating unit, the 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB), initially named the fatality as “Alyas Dodong” or “Alyas Beboy”, who was assigned to do intelligence work with the NPA hit squad Special Partisan Unit (SPARU). The wounded was identified as Ernesto Amallo.
After the soldiers’ encounter with about 15 rebels in Sitio Canlusong, which lasted until about 4 p.m., five suspected rebels were also arrested — Maricar Estoya, Merencia Guardia, Elizabeth Antrone, Jorgen Lizajo, and Erlenda Garsola.
Lt. Col. Egberto Dacoscos, commanding officer of 62IB, said the encounter took place when the troops responded to information about the rebels’ presence in the area in the past days.
On Wednesday, the rebels threatened the family of village chief Charlie Zambrona in neighboring Barangay Tingongan.
On Saturday afternoon, the 62IB released the photo of the killed NPA fighter, found holding a caliber .45 pistol.
The Army unit also provided photos of the wounded and the five others who were arrested.
Soldiers found personal items, such as clothes, slippers, rubber boots, hand-held radios, electrical wires, as well as cooking utensils and foodstuffs in the area, which served as the rebels’ hideout.
Police crime scene operatives were still investigating the encounter site as of this time.
(Nanette Guadalquiver ndb via pna)