By CESAR JOLITO III

A suspected squad leader of the dismantled Central Negros 2 (CN2) unit of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in an encounter with government troops at Barangay Buenavista in Negros Occidental’s Himamaylan City yesterday morning.

Lt. Colonel Ziegfred Tayaban, 94th Infantry Battalion commander, identified the alleged slain rebel as Ruben Tingal, a resident of the same barangay, whom authorities linked to previous killings of civilians in the cities of Himamaylan and Kabankalan City, as well as Binalbagan town.

Tayaban said the operation stemmed from reports from relatives of an NPA couple, alleging that a group of communist rebels had been extorting from farmers in the upland community.

Acting on the information, soldiers launched a combat patrol and encountered around five armed men past 7:00 a.m.

No government troop casualties were reported.

Recovered from the encounter site were an M16 rifle, ammunition, grenades, an NPA flag, subversive documents, and various personal belongings.

Tayaban said the body of the slain rebel remains at the site as they coordinate with local officials.

Pursuit operations continue against the fleeing members of the group.

He emphasized that no civilians were harmed during the firefight.

Tayaban said Tingal’s death is expected to further weaken attempts by remaining CN2 remnants to regain a foothold in the community.

“This should serve as a warning to those still involved in the armed struggle. It is time to surrender,” Tayaban said./CJ, WDJ