• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A suspected New People’s Army rebel reportedly died in an encounter with Army soldiers on Friday in Sitio Cambugi-ot, Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
Brig. Gen. Joey Escanillas, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, said that soldiers of the 15th Infantry Battalion were dispatched to check on the reported presence of armed men in the area, which led to a gunbattle.
Escanillas said that the firefight between 15IB soldiers and about 10 armed rebels, who are believed to be remnants of the dismantled South West Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor, lasted about 25 minutes.
The fleeing rebel remnants fled in various directions, leaving behind their slain comrade, who was initially identified as Ka Wanny, and the recovery of an M14 assault rifle and four backpacks, among other items, he added.
In November last year, six suspected rebels, who were members of the South West Front, also died in an encounter with 47IB soldiers in Brgy. Gatuslao, Candoni, Negros Occidental.*
