Army troopers in pursuit of NPA rebels after clashes in Negros Oriental

BACOLOD CITY – Government troopers are in pursuit of suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) following four separate clashes in the upland barangays of Sandayao and Trinidad in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental since Saturday.

Maj. Cenon Pancito, 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson, said hot pursuit operations are still ongoing.

The first encounter between 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) soldiers and around 20 suspected NPA rebels took place at the boundary of Sitios Punong and Batong Buang in Barangay Trinidad at about 1 p.m. on Saturday.

It was followed by another clash at Sitio Batong-Buang, Barangay Sandayao, at 1:20 p.m., Pancito said.

At 1:40 p.m., another unit of the 62nd IB encountered 20 NPA rebels in Sitio Batong-Buang, Barangay Sandayao. The fourth encounter occurred at 4:30 pm.

“Our troops are moving inch by inch as traces of the NPA suggest that they are still in the area,” Pancito said.

Col. Michael Samson, acting commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said no government troopers were hurt.

Government forces have yet to establish if there were any fatalities on the NPA’s side.

Around 20 families from Sitio Batung-Buang, Barangay Trinidad in Guihulngan City were evacuated and have been attended to by the Guihulgan City Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.

/MUF