BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two more suspected New People’s Army rebels yesterday died in renewed armed clashes with Army soldiers in Sitio Binataan, Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.
Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, disclosed that soldiers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion were responding to complaints of civilians who were intimidated and harassed by a group of armed rebels, who had earlier claimed responsibility for the killing of an alleged military informant in neighboring Brgy. Montilla, also in Moises Padilla. Pasaporte said the gun battle lasted several minutes, after which the undetermined number of rebels scampered in various directions, leaving behind their two slain comrades at the encounter site.
He identified the two slain rebels as John Gil Sarsa, alias Ka Mark, of Brgy Planas, Guihulngan City and Dalmacio dela Torre, alias Ka Delmar.
Sarsa was tagged by the military as a political officer of the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda of the Central Negros 1 Lenovo platoon, while de la Torre served as a member of CN1.
The 62IB, in a statement, said it believes that more rebels were either killed or injured in more than 40 minutes of gun battle. On the other hand, no one was hurt among the 62IB soldiers.
Also recovered at the encounter site were an M-16 assault rifle with M-203 grenade launcher, another M-16 assault rifle, AK-47 assault rifle, an M-14 assault rifle, and a .357 Magnum revolver, 10 magazines containing AK-47 and M-16 ammunition, two rifle grenades, 40mm high explosive ammunition, medical equipment and supplies, two CPP NPA flags, three back packs, subversive documents.
On November 21, a suspected NPA leader identified as Victoriano Baldonado, commanding officer of the Central Negros I Section Guerilla Unit, was also killed in an encounter in Sitio Banderahan, Brgy. Trinidad, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.*
