By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Four members of the New People’s Army (NPA) died in an encounter anew at Barangay Carabalan in Negros Occidental’s Himamaylan City on Wednesday, March 1, the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IBde) confirmed.
Authorities are still trying to identify the four fatalities.
Meanwhile, two soldiers from the 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) were wounded in the 20-minute encounter, and they are now in a stable condition.
Following the clashes, 303IBde commander, Colonel Orlando Edralin called on the wounded NPA members in the gun battle to surrender.
Edralin said the wounded NPA members will be rushed to the hospital and the government is willing to help them.
The Army received information that many NPA members were wounded in Wednesday’s gun battle.
Edralin said it is possible that the troops, who are currently mopping up the encounter site, could recover more bodies in the coming days.
Brigadier General Marion Sison of the 3rd Infantry Division said NPA “suffered a huge debacle” in the recent encounter.
“Expect relentless and intensified military operations in the coming days and weeks,” Sison said.
He added that government forces are determined to protect the residents from the armed group.
“We laud the collaboration of the 94IB with the local populace which resulted in a major setback for the NPA in Negros,” Sison said.
Following the clash last Wednesday, government forces recovered from the encounter site were two M16 assault rifles with M203 grenade launchers, two AK-47 assault rifles, four M203 grenade launcher ammunition, assorted ammunition, four bandoliers, a fragmentation grenade, assorted magazines for M16 and AK-47, nine backpacks, a compass, and two flashlights.
Lt. Colonel Van Donald Almonte, 94IB commander, said the clash began around 6:00 a.m. at the village’s Sitio Florete.
Authorities also recovered assorted food and medical supplies, as well as subversive documents.
On the other hand, the number of families in sitios Canagbaan, Da-at, Florete, and Cabalungan in Carabalan, evacuated due to the clash has risen from 83 to 181.
The evacuees took shelter at the multipurpose gym in Himamaylan’s Barangay Carabalan.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office has already sent relief supplies to the evacuees.
They are currently awaiting advice from the Army declaring that it is safe for them to return to their homes.
The encounter affected more than 5,000 individuals in Carabalan and three adjacent villages, and one in neighboring Binalbagan town./With a report from PNA / DGB, WDJ