BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) died while two soldiers were wounded in an encounter in Sitios Maluya and Anahao in Barangay Sandayao, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on Friday.
Col. Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the unidentified fatality was abandoned by his comrades.
Pasaporte said soldiers belonging to the 2nd Infantry Battalion recovered a carbine, a .45-caliber pistol, a 12 gauge shotgun, an M60 machine gun with 140 rounds of ammunition, five backpacks containing personal belongings, six cellular phones, a solar panel and a sack of rice at the scene.
In Biliran, alleged NPA assassin Luzviminda Orillo, 54, was arrested in Sitio Bigaa, Barangay San Pablo in Naval town on Wednesday.
The arrest was based on a warrant for 29 counts of murder issued by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32 Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina.
In Ilocos Sur, Sibalo Banganan, 37, and Rany Urbis, 35, commander of the Kilusang Laragang Guerilla-North Abra and deputy secretary of a guerrilla unit in Ilocos Sur, respectively, were arrested in Barangay Damacuag in Sta. Lucia town on Friday night.
Banganan and Urbis were wounded in a military operation in Barangay Suagayan last week. — Miriam Desacada, Raymund Catindig, Artemio Dumlao, Eva Visperas