By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Another member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a gun battle with soldiers from the 62nd and the 94th and Infantry Battalions (IBs) in Negros Occidental’s Isabela town yesterday morning.

Authorities have yet to identify the latest fatality as of press time.

Colonel Orlando Edralin, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the IB units encountered around 15 NPA members at the boundary between Isabela and the town of Binalbagan.

The initial seven-minute encounter erupted at 2:32 a.m., Edralin said.

A total of three gun battles had occurred during the day, he added.

Meanwhile, 94IB commander Lt. Colonel Von Donald Almonte said prior to the gun battle, they had received information that the NPA unit — believed to be from Central Negros 2 — were planning to attack a detachment of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit in the said town.

No one was hurt among the government forces.

On Tuesday, April 18, NPA “kangaroo court” leader Jose “Jojo” Albores of the Central Negros Front 1 was killed in an encounter with the 62IB in Moises Padilla town’s Barangay Quentin Remo.

Albores was tagged as responsible for several murders of government assets and civilians who refused to support the armed struggle.

Recovered during last Tuesday’s gun battle were a KG9 assault rifle, a hand grenade, subversive documents, and personal belongings./DGB, WDJ