BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
An Army soldier and three other New People’s Army rebels were reported to have been injured in renewed armed clashes on March 16 in Sitio Ulot, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said that the gunbattle ensued after 94th Infantry Battalion and 33rd Division Reconnaissance Company responded to reports by civilians on the presence of about 10 NPA rebels in their community.
Pasaporte said the firefight that lasted about seven minutes prompted to rebels to scamper in different directions, leaving traces of bloodstains along their withdrawal route.
An Army soldier who was slightly injured on his right arm was immediately airlifted to a private hospital in Bacolod City for treatment.
Lt. Col. Van Donald Almonte, 94IB commander, reported that three rebels were injured in the gunbattle and managed to escape.
Almonte said that the people in the hinterland sitios of Himamaylan City are now cooperating with authorities, as they are already fed up with the lies and deceits of the CPP-NPA.
He also warned the NPA remnants to surrender, before it will be too late for them.*
