Central Command confirms NPA leader shot in Negros

CEBU, Philippines - The Armed Forces of the Philippines – Central Command has confirmed that the vice commander of the New People’s Army in Pamplona, Negros Oriental was the one shot and arrested during an encounter with authorities in Barangay Balayong Thursday.

Central Command’s John Bonafos said the injured NPA official, Jessie Dacaldacal, was given first aid and was treated at the Dumaguete Provincial Hospital.

Bonafos said personnel of the Charlie Company of the 79th Infantry Battalion led by First Lieutenant John Pa were securing the area when they received information about the presence of rebels there. They reportedly tried to negotiate with the rebels but the latter allegedly started shooting at them.

The incident left two NPA members dead. Recovered from the rebels were M16 rifles and one M203 grenade.

“This encounter is a government initiated security operation to ensure that the state of normalization in the Province of Negros Oriental and to convince other NPA armed groups to lay down their arms and return to the mainstream society. Our government has an Integration Program to those armed groups who would want to live a normal life,” Bonafos said.

He said residents in the area do not want to go back to a life of constant fear and intimidation from armed groups and authorities there are doing their best to make sure this does not happen. He said helicopters of the Philippine Air Force’s 2nd Air Division are on standby to support the Army troops in the area.

Here in Cebu, the Philippine National Police also plans to augment forces in Negros Oriental with personnel from the regional public safety battalion in Cebu. Details about the plan are yet to be laid out. —JMO (FREEMAN)