By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels who were killed in a gun battle last Monday, November 28, at Barangay Quintin Remo in Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town have been identified.

Based on information released by the 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB), the fatalities were identified as Dalmacio “Delmar” Dela Torre and Johnhill “Mark” Sarsa, both residents of Negros Oriental’s Guihulngan City.

According to a statement released by the 62IB, Dela Torre was a member of the NPA’s Central Negros Front 1, while Sarsa was a political officer or commissar of the Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda Platoon Lenovo of the said NPA unit.

On Monday, a gun battle erupted between the 62IB and the 15-man force of the NPA which lasted for 40 minutes.

The 62IB responded to the area after receiving information that several armed men were spotted threatening and extorting supplies from the local residents.

Aside from the initial recovered weapons, the Army also recovered a .357 revolver, three AK-47 magazines, seven M16 magazines, two rifle grenades, and a 40mm grenade ammunition.

Soldiers also recovered three backpacks, medical equipment, two bandoliers, the rebels’ personal belongings, and subversive documents.

The two rebel casualties were subsequently turned over to the Moises Padilla Police Station./DGB, WDJ