• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The long arm of the law finally caught up with the group of elusive rebel leader Roger Fabillar, alias Arnel Tapang, who have been linked to killings of numerous civilians in northern Negros, after they encountered Army soldiers on April 6 in Sitio Pinyahon, Barangay Minautok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
Brig. Gen. Ted Dumosmog, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, disclosed that some comrades of Favillar were believed to have been injured in two armed encounters, as indicated by traces of bloodstains found along their withdrawal routes, and the recovery of a M16 assault rifle.
Dumosmog disclosed that the two encounters ensued after 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers responded to reports of civilians on the presence of about eight armed rebels led by Roger Fabillar, alias Jhong, in the sitio proper.
The first encounter at about 8:35 a.m. lasted about 15 minutes, which prompted the group of Fabillar to scamper in various directions. Almost 10 minutes later, another armed skirmish ensued between Army soldiers and the fleeing rebels, in the same area.
Dumosmog also reported that an Army corporal was slightly injured in the gun battle.
The group of Fabillar, according to the Army general, was behind the series of killings of innocent civilians perpetrated in the hinterlands of Calatrava, Toboso, Escalante, and Victorias City, since 2024.
Fabillar, who has the alias Arnel Tapang, and has a bounty of P2 million for his arrest, is facing multiple murder cases in court, Dumosmog said.
Pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels are still underway, as of press time.*
