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2 rebels killed, 8 firearms recovered in gun battles

• GILBERT P. BAYORAN

A PNP SOCO team gathers evidence at the seized temporary encampment of rebels in Sitio Cambaga, Brgy. YaoYao, Cauayan, Negros Occidental.* 15IB photo

A series of armed skirmishes in Cauayan and Himamaylan City in Negros Occidental on November 7 and 8, respectively, led to the killing of two suspected New People’s Army rebels, and the recovery of eight assorted high-powered firearms and an anti-personnel mine, among other war materials.

Two suspected NPA rebels, remnants of the South West Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor (KR- NCBS), died in an encounter on November 7 in Sitio Cambaga, Brgy. YaoYao, Cauayan, Negros Occidental.

1Lt. Wee Ann Sandag, 15th Infantry Battalion Civil Military Operations officer, yesterday said that Army soldiers responded to reports of civilians on the presence of a group of armed rebels in the area. Sandag reported that the first encounter between 15IB soldiers and about 10 armed NPA rebels lasted about five minutes.

It was followed by another armed engagement, as soldiers caught up with the fleeing rebels.

While scouring the encounter site, Sandag disclosed that soldiers were able to recover the bodies of two slain rebels, whose identities are still being established as of press time.

Also recovered from the temporary harboring site of fleeing rebels were an M14 assault rifle, M653 automatic rifle with three magazines containing ammunition, a .45 caliber pistol, an anti personnel mine with a blasting cap, three backpacks containing personal belongings, assorted medicines, and subversive documents.

It was also discovered by the 15IB that the recovered .45 caliber pistol was traced back to the late Army soldier Jhoerom Meguillo, who was waylaid and killed by NPA rebels on April 3 last year in Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City.

Yesterday, another encounter ensued between an estimated nine NPA rebels, who are remnants of the Central Negros 2 of KR-NCBS, and soldiers from the 94th Infantry Battalion in Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.

The gunbattle, which lasted 15 minutes, prompted the rebels to flee in various directions, leaving behind their two comrades who surrendered to the 94IB, according to its spokesman, Capt. Eduardo Rarugal.

Recovered from the encounter site were three M16 assault rifles with 15 magazines containing ammunition, an M4 automatic rifle, an M1 garand rifle, two backpacks, a generator set, a pair of rainboots, and a cache of subversive documents.

On Nov. 5, four members of the South West Front of KR NCBS also surrendered to the 15IB, turning over a high powered firearm.*

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