3 ‘rebels’ killed in Negros Occidental clashes

MANILA, Philippines — Three suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas, including a woman, were killed in separate encounters in Escalante City, Negros Occidental in the past two days.

Aside from the three fatalities, the first encounter that broke out in Barangay Pinapugasan on Wednesday also resulted in the wounding of four members of government security forces, including a militiaman, according to Lt. Col. J-Jay Javines, spokesman for the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID).

Troopers recovered the bodies of the slain rebels at the scene of the encounter along with two rifles, a pistol, three rifle grenades, improvised explosive devices, phones, backpacks and subversive documents.

Soldiers from the 79th Infantry Battalion launched combat operations after receiving information that armed men were extorting residents in the village.

Three hours later, another firefight broke out between Army troopers and the same group of men near the area where the first encounter occurred.

The firefight lasted five minutes. Another encounter occurred at around 6 a.m. yesterday.

Javines said the series of encounters indicated that the group remained in the area to protect their wounded comrades.

Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, chief of the 3ID, reiterated a call for the remaining NPA guerrillas to surrender and avail themselves of the government’s local integration program, to avoid getting killed in battles.