Five alleged NPAs killed in clash with troops

June 18, 2020

Five alleged members of New People's Army (NPA) were killed in a clash with government troops in Negros Oriental on Thursday morning.

Maj. Cenon Pancito III, public affairs chief of the 3rd Infantry Division said joint elements of 11th Infantry (Lapu-Lapu) Battalion, 94th Infantry (Mandirigma) Battalion, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 (RMFB 7) and Mabinay Philippine National Police (PNP) encountered the armed men in the vicinity of Sitio Talingting, Brgy Luyang, Mabinay around 12:45am.

Pancito said the troops were responding to the reported presence of a wanted personality who was with the group of armed men occupying the two houses within the area when the clash broke out.

"While the government troops were approaching the area bearing the warrant issued by Judge Rosario Cariaga of Bais, Negros Oriental, they were fired upon by the undetermined number of communist-terrorists which prompted them to fire back," he said.

"After the heavy firefight for almost 30 minutes, the troops were able to outmaneuvered the enemies and successfully seized their position," he added.

Pancito said troops  recovered five bodies of alleged communist-terrorists members and war materiel that include three M-16 rifles, one AK-47, one caliber .45 pistol, three AK-47 magazines, four rifle grenades, one improvised bomb  assorted magazines and ammunition, and voluminous subversive documents with high intelligence value.

"One of the dead bodies was initially identified as alias Sayas Ribilista who is the subject of the warrant," he said.

Lt. Colonel Ramir Redosendo, commanding officer of the 11th Infantry battalion, lauded residents for reporting the presence of the rebels in their community.

“This is a clear manifestation that the local residents do not want to be deceived again by the lies of these NPA terrorists. It also shows that EO 70 and the Negros Oriental Task-Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (NOTF-ELCAC) is up and running”, he said.

“I would to like to commend the residents of Barangay Luyang for reporting the presence of armed men in their area, and I urge the people of Negros Oriental to continue reporting the presence of these NPA terrorists in their communities for us to prevent their terroristic activities," he added.

Redosendo extended sympathies to the families and friends of the slain rebels.

"Taking up arms against the government and the Filipino people will never address and resolve conflict and issues,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS