• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Two alleged regional leaders of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siqujior died in an armed encounter with Army soldiers on March 8 at Hacienda Paraiso, Brgy. Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
1Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, 79th Infantry Battalion Civil Military Operations officer, disclosed that 79IB soldiers clashed with about seven rebels in a gun battle that lasted about 10 minutes. The fleeing rebels left behind their two slain comrades.
Recovered from the encounter site were an M16 assault rifle with a magazine containing ammunition, a caliber .45 pistol and two magazines with ammunition, a hand grenade, a 40mm high explosive grenade, rifle grenade, a laptop, a backpack, and a sling bag.
Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, 79IB commander, identified the two slain rebels as Hans Ponteras, with aliases of Jojo, Lance, Teddy, and Hans, finance officer of the Regional Taxation Implementing Group of KR-NCBS, and Marissa Pobresa, with aliases of Kim, Renz and Mia.
Calaoagan told Bombo Radyo that Pobresa served as the Regional Communication Officer.
He added that the cadaver of Pobresa was already claimed by her family at a funeral parlor, where the remains of Ponteras is still unclaimed.
Ponteras has pending arrest warrant for attempted murder, issued by the Kabankalan Regional Trial Court, according to the 79IB.
Last month, 79IB soldiers also figured in an encounter with rebel remnants in the same barangay, where among the items recovered were extortion letters addressed to some sugar planters and businessmen, according to Samoza.
He also raised the possibility that the armed rebels recently encountered by 79IB soldiers also engaged in extortion activities, as the campaign period for the May 12 elections is ongoing.*
