• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Army soldiers encountered remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) believed to be involved in the recent killings of two civilians during an armed clash in Barangay Tamlang, Escalante City on June 1.
1Lt. Fevie Fajardo, Civil-Military Operations chief of the 79th Infantry Battalion (IB), disclosed that an Army soldier sustained injuries during the brief gunbattle.
Fajardo said the rebel remnants encountered by government forces are believed to be responsible for the separate killings of two civilians in northern Negros Occidental. The first victim was killed in Barangay Minautok, Calatrava on May 13, while the second was slain in Barangay Magticol, Toboso on May 27.
The firefight reportedly lasted about five minutes, before the suspected rebels fled in different directions, leaving behind some of their personal belongings, which were later recovered by government troops at the encounter site.
The fleeing rebels are also believed to be remnants of the group led by Roger Fabillar, also known as “Jhong.” Fabillar was among the 19 rebels killed during an encounter with government forces in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso on April 19.*
