• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Police troopers seized a New People’s Army camp and recovered assorted guns, following two encounters on February 3 and 4 in Santa Catalina and Sibulan, all in Negros Oriental, according to a report of the Police Regional Office 7.
The first encounter ensued Friday night, between troopers of the 705th Maneuver Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB) 7, and 15 suspected NPA rebels at Sitio Tubod Bagtik, Brgy. Enrique Villanueva, Sibulan, Negros Oriental.
No casualties were reported on the government side.
The next day, troopers of the 704th Maneuver Company of the RMFB 7 and 61st Special Action Company of the PNP Special Action Force also encountered about 10 suspected NPA members in Sitio Bukal-bukal, Brgy. Talalak, Sta. Catalina, also in Negros Oriental.
The running gun battle, which lasted about eight minutes, ended with the communist rebels scampering in various directions, leaving behind a KG9 automatic pistol with two magazines containing ammunition, and an M203 grenade launcher with ammunition.
A follow up joint operation of the 705th Maneuver Company, also of the RMFB 7, 62nd Special Action Company of PNP SAF and Army’s 11th Infantry Battalion also resulted to the seizure of a rebel camp at Sitio Bukal-Bukal in Brgy. Talalak, Santa Catalina.
At the abandoned camp, government troopers recovered a Glock 9mm pistol with a magazine containing ammunition, and food supplies left behind by the fleeing rebels.
In a statement, PBrig. Gen. Jerry Biarez, PRO 7 director, said that the accomplishments were made due to intelligence-driven operations, in tandem with other law enforcement agencies and the Philippine Army, in cooperation of residents in the area.*
