• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Army soldiers figured in armed skirmishes with a group of New People’s Army rebel remnants linked to the liquidation of civilians they accuse of being “military spies” on May 4 at Purok 1 in Barangay Masaling, Cauayan, Negros Occidental.
Brig. Gen. Jason Jumawan, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, disclosed that the 47th Infantry Battalion responded to reports on the presence of armed men, believed to remnants of the dismantled South West Front – Komiteng Rehiyonal – Negros, which led to a gun battle.
The group of alias “Kalbo,” estimated at 10 members, scampered in various directions after almost 10 minutes of gun battle, leaving behind traces of bloodstains on their trails, indicating that some may have been injured, Jumawan said.
No soldiers were hurt, as they continue to pursue the fleeing rebel remnants, according to the Philippine Army.
The group of “Kalbo” has been linked to more than 28 murder incidents in southern Negros since last year, victimizing civilians they tagged as military informants, as reported earlier by the Philippine Army.
The Armando Sumayang Jr. Command – New People’s Army Southwest Negros Guerilla Front had claimed responsibility for the deaths of a barangay kagawad and purok chairperson in barangays of Tambad and Lina-on in Cauayan.*
