TWO rebels were killed while a ranking rebel leader was nabbed in an encounter during Christmas.
The Christmas eve armed clash in Sitio Libjo, Barangay Napacao, Siaton, Negros Oriental led to the death of two suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels, which were identified by the NPA Rachelle Mae Palang Command as Ricardo “Ka George” Sabinan of Barangay Mantiquil, Siaton, and Ebit “Ka MJ” Fuentes of Barangay San Vicente, Trinidad, Bohol.
Rebel group spokesperson Estrella Banagbanag acknowledged that both Sabinan and Fuentes are members of their group, whom she claimed in a statement, were on their way to join the masses in Christmas festivity.
Major Cenon Pancito, 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson, on Sunday, December 27, 2020, said Sabinan has a pending case of murder, with an arrest warrant issued by Dumaguete Regional Trial Court Judge Leoncio Bancoro, who denied him bail.
Pancito disclosed that the encounter ensued after soldiers of the 11th Infantry Battalion and troopers of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-Central Visayas responded to reports of civilians about the presence of armed men in their community.
Pancito said the firefight between remnants of the South East Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor and government troopers led to the death of two unidentified communist rebels and the recovery of M653 assault rifle, a caliber 45 pistol, a bandoleer with two magazines of M14 rifle, three backpacks containing assorted medicines and personal belongings, as well as subversive documents.
An alleged ranking NPA leader was reported by the Philippine Army to have been arrested in Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental.
Nabbed by the combined team of 15th Infantry Battalion and Philippine National Police was Radino Villacarillo, with aliases of Romil Villacarillo, Poldo, Rading, Ado, Kanor, Baldo, Tauros, and Yongyong, who is the Regional Committee (RCOM) Secretary of the Second National Urban Center (2NURC), formerly known as Cebu Party Committee.
Lieutenant Colonel Erwin Carino, 15th Infantry Battalion commander, disclosed Sunday that Villacarillo also served as the Military Hardware Liaison for Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) Regional Operational Command (ROC) Ordnance Staff, former commanding officer, Rehiyon Sentro De Grabidad (RSDG) KR-Negros, Committee Member of North Negros Front (NNF); and Front Operational Command North Negros Front (FOC NNF).
Carino said that the arrest of Villacarillo yielded a caliber 45 automatic pistol, two hand grenades; two laptop computers; eight cellular phones; two pocket Wi-Fi; an external drive; four USB; and an unregistered motorcycle and subversive documents.
He also disclosed that Villacarillo was among the NPA insiders tasked by the rebel group to spy not only on various personalities in urban areas but also to closely monitor the operations of the Special Partisan Unit.
"He was also tasked to keep in touch with politicians sympathizers with their cause, for him to move freely in different municipalities, district clinics, as well as churches," Cariño said.
Colonel Leonardo Peña, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, called on NPA remnants to embrace the peace being offered by the government, as Negrenses celebrate the yuletide season with their families.
It is just unfortunate that lives were being wasted for a cause that offers no solution but only armed struggle and deception, Pena said.
Both the government and Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA have suspended the yuletide season ceasefire, which they traditionally observed in the past several years.
They only have two options, surrender or die fighting a lost cause," Major General Eric Vinoya, 3rd Infantry Division, said.