By CESAR JOLITO III
A timely tip from residents led to a series of armed encounters that resulted in the neutralization of five alleged remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) – South West Front at Barangay Abaca in Negros Occidental’s Cauayan town on Saturday, May 16.
Troops from the 15th Infantry Battalion, under the 302nd Infantry Brigade (IBde), engaged remnants of the South West Front’s Komiteng Rehiyon Negros in separate encounters in Barangays Abaca and Poblacion, both in Cauayan, following verified information provided by local residents regarding the presence of armed individuals in the area.
Authorities said among those killed were South West Front commanding officer identified as Rolando Dantes, alias “Anyo,” along with member Jobert Casipong, alias “John” or “Robi.”
The troops have yet to verify and confirm the victims’ identities from their families.
Five bodies were retrieved from the encounter site and brought to a funeral home yesterday.
The army said the series of clashes started around 6:00 a.m. followed by two more at 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Military forces recovered multiple firearms during the operation, including assault rifles and a 60mm machine gun, further weakening the operational capability of the armed group in the province.
Brigadier General Jason Jumawan, 302IBde commander, believed the remnants of the dismantled South West Front allegedly killed suspected government informants in Negros Occidental cities of Sipalay and Kabankalan as well as Cauayan town.
Meanwhile, Major General Michael Samson, commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), described the outcome as a significant setback to remaining rebel remnants operating on Negros Island.
Samson emphasized that the success of the operation highlights the strong partnership between security forces and local communities in addressing security threats.
“The tip-off of the local populace reflects the growing trust and confidence of the community in the army. We assure that your army will sustain intensified, focused military operations to prevent fleeing remnants from regrouping and to thwart any attempt to sow fear and disrupt the peaceful lives of innocent civilians,” Samson said in a statement.
The 3ID also renewed its call for remaining members of the communist terrorist groups to abandon armed struggle and surrender peacefully, urging them to avail of government reintegration programs designed to support their safe return to mainstream society.
Violence condemned
The Cauayan municipal government strongly condemned the violence, intimidation and disturbance caused by the NPA following the recent armed encounter.
In a statement, Mayor John Rey Tabujara said the acts have disrupted the peace of the communities and placed innocent civilians in distress.
“Cauayan will not tolerate any threat to the safety, security and well-being of our people,” Tabujara said.
He added that the municipal government remains in close coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines to secure affected areas, protect communities, and restore peace and order.
The mayor urged all Cauayanons to remain calm, vigilant and cooperative with uniformed personnel.
Earlier, the local government evacuated 180 families from three villages in the town amid the gun battle.
Tabujara said the locality is fully mobilized to ensure the protection and welfare of all affected households, stressing that government services are being delivered on a continuous basis./CJ, WDJ