BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Assorted high-powered firearms and war materials were recovered by Army soldiers, following an encounter yesterday with suspected New People’s Army rebels in Sitio Halog in Brgy. Sandayao, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Soldiers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion and 33rd Division Reconnaissance Company were responding to complaints of rebel extortion activities in the place when they encountered about 15 suspected NPA rebels, believed to be members of Central Negros Front 1 Sentro De Grabidad Platoon, according to Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander.
After 15 minutes of gunbattle, Pasaporte said the group of armed rebels scampered in various directions and left behind one R4 automatic assault rifle with a short magazine containing seven ammunition, a KG-9 sub machine gun with a magazine containing five ammunition, assorted food stuff, a back pack containing personal belongings, a sack of charcoal, a solar panel, two hammocks, a CPP-NPA flag, two pairs of rain boots and subversive documents.
No Army soldiers were injured and they are still scouring the encounter site as of press time.
It was not yet determined if the fleeing rebels suffered casualties.*
