Soldiers nab 3 NPA rebels in Guihulngan

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines — Scout Rangers of the Philippine Army captured three suspected members of the New People's Army during a clash at sitio Cansayawan in Brgy. Linantuyan of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental Friday afternoon.

Brigadier Gen. Francisco Patrimonio, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, identified the arrested rebels as Jessie Abing, 25, of Brgy. Nasunggan in La Libertad town, Thomas Esugan, 19, of Brgy. Buenavista in Guihulngan, and a 17-year-old boy from Brgy. Camandag in La Castellana town of Negros Occidental.

They were captured in the area of the encounter site while government forces were pursuing the fleeing rebels, following several minutes of firefight, said Patrimonio.

Patrimonio said they were later turned over to the 11th Infantry Battalion at Camp McKinley in Guihulngan, then handed over to the police for detention and the filing of criminal charges.

The soldiers recovered from the suspects an M-14 armalite rifle with several rounds of live ammunition and backpacks.

A progress report, received by Patrimonio later that day, said that troops of the 3rd Scout Ranger Company of the First Scout Ranger Battalion clashed, at about 12:50 p.m., with at least 20 rebels, who had divided themselves into two groups.

No casualties were reported on the government side but the military believed the NPA suffered some casualties as they fled from the scene.

Pursuit operation was undertaken with more troops deployed to the area as reinforcement, while helicopters from the Philippine Air Force were put on standby alert at the 302nd IB headquarters in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental.  (FREEMAN)