• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Philippine Army reported yesterday that a member of the New People’s Army was injured in another encounter on Thursday in Sitio Caranawan, Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.
Soldiers of the 94th Infantry Battalion also recovered an M16 assault rifle with two magazines containing ammunition, as well as personal belongings.
In a statement, Lt. Col.J Jay Javines, 3rd Infantry Division Civil Military Operations officer, said the encounter took place while Army troops were conducting combat operations in response to the reported presence of the remnants of Sentro De Grabidad Platoon of Central Negros (CN) 2, under the Komiteng Rehiyon Negros/ Cebu/ Bohol/ Siquijor (KR-NCBS), extorting money and food from the residents in the area.
Javines reported that the gunbattle between 94IB troops and about four NPA members lasted about eight minutes, which also prompted the rebels to withdraw towards a northerly direction, carrying their injured comrade, as indicated by traces of bloodstains along their withdrawal route.
No Army soldiers were injured, and they recovered an assault rifle and personal belongings.
The latest encounter ensued a day after 62nd Infantry Battalion soldiers also clashed with five NPA combatants on December 6 in Brgy. Amontay, Binalbagan, resulting in the death of a certain Braulio Tobalado, alias Bruno, a member of the Central Negros 1 under the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu, Bohol/Siquijor.
An M1 garand rifle and a caliber .45 pistol with ammunition were also recovered by 62IB troops from the encounter site.*
