• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The municipal government of Toboso in Negros Occidental gave P25,000 in financial assistance to an Army soldier currently recuperating in a Bacolod City private hospital after he was injured on April 6 encounter with a group of rebels in the town’s hinterlands.
Mayor Madonnah Jaojoco and her husband, Councilor Richard Jaojoco, yesterday turned over the financial assistance during a visit to the injured Army soldier at a private hospital in Bacolod City. They were accompanied by Lt Col. J Jay Javines, commanding officer of the 79th Infantry Battalion.
Javines said the injured Army soldier was among those who figured in an encounter with the group of Roger Fabillar, alias Arnel Tapang, remnants of the dismantled Northern Negros Front under the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor.
Army soldiers recovered two homemade 12-gauge shotguns with ammunition, along with other war materials and personal belongings from the encounter site.
Brig. Gen. Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, earlier conferred injured Army soldier with the Wounded Personnel Medal, in recognition of his bravery during the encounter.
A cash bounty of P900,000 is being offered for the arrest of Fabillar, who is facing multiple counts of murder in court, according to Javines.
He described the generosity of the Toboso municipal government as a strong and robust partnership between the Philippine Army and the local government units.
“This also manifests their appreciation of the sacrifices of our soldiers to protect and maintain the peace and the safety and security of the populace not only in Toboso, but in Northern Negros”, he added.
In a statement issued by the 79IB, it said that Mayor Jaojoco and her husband reassured them of their continued support to the welfare of Army soldiers, and to their effort to end the local armed conflict in Toboso.
“The local government of Toboso will always be a reliable partner of 79IB in sustaining the peace and security in its area of operations,” Mayor Jaojoco said.*
