BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A suspected member of the New People’s Army died while an Army soldier was injured in renewed armed clashes with government security forces on May 3 in Brgy. Gatuslao, Candoni, Negros Occidental.
Lt. Col. Michael Cuarteros, 15th Infantry Battalion commander, reported the gunbattle between Army soldiers and about 15 suspected NPA rebels lasted about 15 minutes, prompting rebels to leave behind their slain comrade as they fled in various directions.
Recovered from the encounter site were an M16 assault rifle with two magazines containing 24 ammunition, a caliber .45 pistol with two magazines containing four ammunition, an improvised explosive device (IED), a back pack and a cellular phone.
The encounter also led to the injury of 2Lt. Elmer Dumaog, who was hit on the left arm while in pursuit of the fleeing rebels.
The slain rebel was identified by the 302nd Infantry Brigade as Anthony Tecson, with aliases of Kisap and Boyca, a member of Sentro De Grabidad Platoon 2 of South West Front under the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor.
Soldiers of the 15th Infantry Battalion figured in three armed clashes while in pursuit of the rebels.*
