• GILBERT P. BAYORAN

Six suspected New People’s Army rebels died in an encounter with Army soldiers on Thursday, November 21, in Sitio Cogon, Barangay Gatuslao, Candoni, Negros Occidental.
Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, disclosed that the gun battle between soldiers of the 47th Infantry Battalion and about 10 remnants of the dismantled South West Front of Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor (KR NCBS), also led to the recovery of eight high powered firearms, including five M16 assault rifles, two AK-47 automatic rifles, and an M653 assault rifle.
The identities of the six slain rebels are yet to be established by the Philippine Army, as of press time.
Escanillas said that 47IB and 15th Infantry Battalion conducted a joint military operation, after being informed of the reported presence of armed rebels in the area.
While on their way to the area, Escanillas said Army soldiers encountered the rebel remnants, which led to almost 45 minutes of gun battle.
He raised the possibility that rebel remnants may have been conducting a recruitment of new members, as their presence in the area may have been related to left leaning organizations who are opposing the establishment of a palm oil plantation in the barangay.
In the past years, the barangay of Gatuslao in Candoni has been the site of numerous encounters between government troopers and rebels operating in southern Negros.
While the KR NCBS South West Front and South East Front committees have already been dismantled, Escanillas said they are still trying to establish if NPA remnants managed to recruit new members, or if they have been augmented by colleagues from other areas of Negros Island.
The cadavers of the slain rebels were brought to the Candoni town poblacion, for identification of their respective families.
Escanillas described encounter site as a rebel stronghold along the boundaries of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.
PCol. Rainerio de Chavez, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, ordered the Candoni police to check hospitals and other medical facilities for any persons being treated for gunshot injuries.*