By JEN BAYLON

An alleged New People’s Army (NPA) member was killed in an encounter with government forces at Barangay Quintin Remo in Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town yesterday morning.

The Philippine Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) identified the fatality as 24-year-old Marlon Catasio, a resident of the village.

Lt. Colonel J-jay Javines, 3rd Infantry Division Civil Military Operations officer, said the first encounter took place at 5:35 a.m.

The 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company and the 62IB received a tip off about the presence of the alleged five-member NPA group in the area.

Javines said the encounter lasted for several minutes.

The slain member was left behind by his fleeing comrades after the clash.

Government forces were able to pursue the remaining insurgents, which led to another encounter three hours later.

They recovered a KG9 automatic pistol with ammunition, a rifle grenade, three magazines of 5.56mm rifle, two backpacks, subversive documents, and assorted medical paraphernalia from the encounter site.

Javines said no one was injured among their troopers./JB, WDJ