Three alleged NPAs killed in clash with gov’t forces in Negros Oriental

May 1, 2020

Three alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) were killed while one soldier was wounded in a 30-minute firefight with security forces in Negros Oriental  Thursday afternoon.

In a report, the Army's 303rd Brigade said elements of 94th Infantry Battalion and personnel of Bindoy Municipal Police Station encountered undetermined number of NPAs  in Sitio Namunduan, Brgy Cambudlas, Bindoy at 4:05 pm.

"The joint AFP-PNP community security patrol was on their way back to their base when they received reports from the civilian populace regarding the presence of NPA  conducting extortion in their barangay amidst the crisis of COVID-19," it stated.

"While on their way to the area, the joint AFP-PNP elements were fired upon by the NPA terrorists that triggered a fierce gunfight at short distance," it added.

After the encounter,   government troops recover one shotgun with live ammunition, one bandolier with magazines and live ammunition, two backpacks, one rifle grenade, six pairs of rain boots, medical supplies, paraphernalia, subversive documents, and other personal belongings.

Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the encounter "clearly shows that the terrorist NPAs are unwanted and despised in the communities especially by the populace who reported their presence".

"The populace are doing their part in order to make their communities peaceful and free from NPA influence", he said.

"I urge the people of Bindoy as well the whole people of Negros Island to continue reporting the presence of these NPA terrorists in their communities in order for us to prevent their extortion and other terroristic activities in the area” said Pasaporte. Robina Asido/DMS