By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Two Philippine Army soldiers were wounded after a gunfight broke out between the military and suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at Sitio Cunalom in Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, yesterday morning.

Authorities identified the two wounded as Sergeant Jomar Dolorfino and Private Jelord Para-onda, both members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (62 IB).

Based on information from Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6), the army was conducting combat operations in the area and passed a suspected NPA camp in the city’s Barangay Buenavista, last Tuesday.

Around 6:30 a.m., the soldiers encountered an undetermined number of suspected NPA rebels, resulting in a firefight that lasted 30 minutes, and ending with the rebels retreating.

The soldiers also believe the NPA suffered casualties in the firefight as blood trails were spotted across the battle area.

Both Para-onda and Dolorfino were airlifted by the Philippine Air Force to the city’s district hospital, while military and police sent reinforcements to pursue the rebels.

Meanwhile, the helicopter was later forced to make an emergency landing along the national highway at Sitio Tanulo in Barangay Pilar, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental.

According to the authorities, the chopper just delivered the two wounded soldiers in Himamaylan City and was returning to the battle area to provide air support when it encountered a technical problem in the air.

The chopper, which carried two pilots and four crew members, managed to land safely in an open field./DGB, WDJ