• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A member of the Philippine Army died on June 1, following an armed encounter with New People’s Army remnants at Sitio Cagayanon 1 in Barangay Tamlang, Escalante City, Negros Occidental.
1Lt. Fevie Fajardo, 79th Infantry Battalion Civil Military Operations chief, confirmed the death of an Army soldier, who was among those pursuing remnants of the group of slain rebel leader Roger Fabillar, alias Jhong, that recently killed two civilians in northern Negros.
Fajardo said the firefight between five NPA rebels and 79IB soldiers on Monday lasted about five minutes before the suspected rebels fled in different directions, leaving behind some of their personal belongings at the encounter site, which were later recovered by government troops.
The latest armed clashes in Brgy. Tamlang, Escalante, led to the evacuation of 80 families, composed of 311 persons, residing in four sitios of the barangay, who are now staying at evacuation centers.
NABBED
Pursuit operations also led to the arrest of a suspected member of the NPA, who tried to evade a checkpoint jointly manned by police troopers and Army soldiers at Purok Crotons in Brgy. Mabini, Escalante City, Negros Occidental.
PLt. Col. Florencio Fajardo, Escalante City police chief, identified the arrested suspect as Junril Bacalso.
His arrest yielded a .45 caliber pistol and a hand grenade, according to the police.
Fajardo, in an interview with Bombo Radyo, said the group of Bacalso is engaged in the illegal drug trade, and is connected to the New People’s Army.
The drug group leader he identified as Joseph Bindoy, along with two others, were killed in a gunbattle with operatives of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, local police, and Army soldiers on April 15, at Sitio Napungolan in Brgy. Jonob-Jonob, Escalante City.
Fajardo said he believes that Bacalso, who replaced Bindoy as leader of the drug group, was among those who were encountered by Army soldiers on Monday.*
