By Mary Judaline Partlow
DUMAGUETE CITY – Government troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army clashed with suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in three separate incidents in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on Thursday.
Lt. Col. Evelio Ilanga, commanding officer of the 62IB, told the Philippine News Agency that the initial clash occurred around 6 a.m. in Barangay Humay-humay, where soldiers encountered about nine remnants of the dismantled Central Negros 1 (CN1) guerrilla front.
A brief three-minute firefight ensued before the insurgents retreated.
The soldiers recovered one high-powered firearm, some live rounds of ammunition, magazines, and personal belongings that were left behind by the suspected NPA rebels.
Ilanga said that pursuit operations led to two more brief skirmishes with the same group later that day at separate locations. He refused to give further details.
He assured the public that the military is working to prevent any disruption by the NPA during the upcoming elections, particularly in Guihulngan City.
Based on the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) classification of election hotspots, Guihulngan City and La Libertad are currently under the red category—the highest level—due to the presence of armed groups.
Basay has been placed under the orange category, while the remaining 22 towns and cities in Negros Oriental are classified under the yellow category. (PNA)
