Two suspected remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in an encounter with the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) at Barangay Buenavista in Negros Occidental’s Himamaylan City on Thursday, August 22.
The 94IB identified the fatalities as couple, 31-year-old Joan Lacio “Mark” Encarnacion and 30-year-old Jolina “Chloe” Martinez Sergio of NPA’s Central Negros 2-Sentro de Grabidad Platoon.
They served as the group’s vice commanding officer and political instructor, respectively.
The couple were residents of Sitio Cantupa, and married in 2017 in the village’s Sitio Bunsad, the 94IB report said.
It added that the suspected remnants were wanted for attempted murder and homicide.
Lt. Colonel J-jay Javines, spokesperson of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said the encounter happened at around 8:40 a.m., when personnel from the 94IB were deployed at Sitio Pisok after receiving information on the presence of an armed group.
The five-member NPA group was allegedly extorting from sugarcane farmers as well as quarry and project workers in their area of operation.
The 94IB conducted security patrols in the subvillage, which resulted in a five-minute clash with the alleged rebels.
Three suspected rebels fled following the encounter, leaving behind the bodies of their two comrades.
An assault rifle, 5.56 mm M16, 7.62 mm M14, three magazines for M14 and M16, 20 rounds of 5.56 mm ball, seven rounds of 7.62 mm ball, a bandolier, and a backpack were recovered from the encounter site.
Meanwhile, 94IB commanding officer Lt. Colonel Ziegfred Tayaban said they will coordinate with the families of the two suspected rebels for burial arrangements.
Tayaban added that the movement of the communist rebels would only lead to a life of “exploitation and terror.”
“There is no honor in aligning with a group that undermines and oppresses communities,” he said.
‘Nothing but death’
In a statement, 3ID commander, Major General Marion Sison said the recent clash and the demise of the suspected remnants are a stern warning to the remaining rebels in Negros Occidental.
Sison said that waging the armed struggle will “bring nothing but death.”
He encourages the remaining NPA rebels to return to the fold of the law.
Sison added that the government is ready to assist surrenderers in rebuilding their lives through programs.
“Our troops are relentlessly pursuing those who continue threatening and harming the communities, and they will not stop until the last standing NPAs are rendered irrelevant,” he added. / With reports from PNA / WDJ