By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A soldier from the Philippine Army and an insurgent from the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed following a gun battle between the two sides at Barangay Carabalan in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental last Wednesday.

Authorities identified the slain soldier as Corporal Rodney Luces, a member of the Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB), while the slain NPA insurgent has yet to be identified.

Also wounded in the gunfight is Private 1st Class Kiel Charles Pama, also a member of the 62IB.

Police Lt. Colonel Norberto Barniso, officer-in-charge of the Himamaylan City Police Station, said a platoon from the 62IB were conducting combat operations in the area when they encountered at least nine NPA rebels.

The gun battle lasted for several minutes until the insurgents were forced to retreat, Barniso said.

Philippine Army 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson Major Cenon Pancito said both Luces and Pama were immediately evacuated by helicopter to Bacolod City and rushed to the Riverside Medical Center, however, Luces was declared dead-on-arrival by hospital staff.

Reinforcements from the 94th Infantry Battalion also arrived at the scene and a second battle ensued in the barangay’s Purok Galaupan where one of the rebels was found dead.

Authorities recovered seven backpacks containing the rebels’ personal items and subversive documents.

Hot pursuit operations have been initiated against the rebels./DGB, WDJ