The New People’s Army (NPA) has denied any involvement in last Tuesday’s gun battle in Escalante City’s Barangay Old Poblacion. In a statement by Cecil Estrella, spokesperson for the NPA Roselyn Jean Pelle Command, which is based in northern Negros, the encounter was characterized as “fake.”
Estella called the Philippine Army 79th Infantry Battalion and 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IB) “desperate” in reporting accomplishments following an earlier clash in the said city’s Barangay Paitan. She also accused the army of spreading “black propaganda” after the NPA was accused of attempting to sabotage a scheduled “peace forum” on September 20, the 34th anniversary of the 1985 Escalante massacre.
The spokesperson then accused authorities of requiring “compulsory attendance” for the said summit.
Estrella added, the two individuals captured following the clash—identified by the Army as Jomar Agustin, alias ‘Mari,’ of Barangay Salamangca, Toboso; and Revely Tayab, alias ‘Tara,’ of Barangay Bago, Don Salvador Benedicto—are “not members of the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command.”
303IB commander, Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, said the gun battle ensued after they received a report claiming local residents spotted several armed individuals roaming their area. It is believed soldiers engaged with between seven to 10 NPA rebels, which lasted for at least 10 minutes until the rebels retreated.
Soldiers recovered two .45 caliber pistols with eight live bullets, a hammock, and a rifle bandoleer in the encounter site.
Around 100 civilians were also evacuated./DGB, WDJ