THREE more clashes erupted between government troops and members of Communist Terrorist Groups (CTG) in the cities of Himamaylan and Guihulngan in Negros Island yesterday and Wednesday, October 13 and 12, respectively.
Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, commanding officer of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said no fatalities were recorded from both sides of the rebels and government forces.
“Members of the 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) had a five-minute gun battle with the rebels at Barangay Carabalan in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental at about 2:50 p.m. on Wednesday where a portable radio and other personal belongings of the fleeing CTGs were found,” Pasaporte said.
He said that the encounter in Himamaylan on Wednesday is already the sixth since Thursday last week.
So far, two soldiers and rebel-leader Romeo Nanta were killed in the series of encounters in the southern Negros Occidental city, he also said.
Nanta alias Juanito Magbanua died three days after Corporal Christian Drilon of San Enrique town in Iloilo, and Corporal Rex Verde of Guimaras province died in the encounter on Saturday.
Six other soldiers were also wounded. They are Corporal Joey Gardose, Private First Class Rolly Rama, June Fuentes, Wilson Liander and Wilchor Recaña as well as Sergeant Edgiel Ucag.
About two hours later, members of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) also engaged in a five-minute battle with CTG members at Barangay Calupaan in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental following the reports of concerned citizens that armed rebels were sighted in the area.
A military report showed that there were bloodstains found at the encounter site although the rebels were forced to escape.
As the members of the 62nd IB continued to pursue the fleeing rebels in Guihulngan City at about 6 a.m. yesterday, another encounter occurred at Barangay Trinidad.
The rebels left behind their personal belongings and a caliber .45 pistol, the military said.
With the continued armed skirmishes in Negros Island between the rebels and the Philippine Army, Pasaporte ordered all the military detachments to be on heightened alert.
He said that checkpoints will also be conducted in various areas in the island, especially in those places known to be infiltrated by the rebels.
For her part, Major Grace Borio, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-6, said that Police Regional Director Brigadier General Leo Francisco ordered to intensify the security in all police stations across Negros Occidental.
Franciso told the policemen in the province not to be complacent and take necessary precautions as rebels may retaliate following the series of encounters, especially in Himamaylan City.
“Huwag tayong maging kampante, implement full security precautions amidst these firefights. Be ready to be mobilized if need arises,” he added.*
Moreover, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Central Office has assured Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson that they will continue supporting the evacuees who have fled their homes due to the ongoing armed conflict.
Lacson said he was told that DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo has given them assurance that his department is ready to give whatever the evacuees needs, and he has already prepositioned the relief supplies needed by the 3,500 individuals who are currently sheltering in evacuation centers.
The governor visited yesterday one of the evacuation sites where evacuees told him that their top concern is how to return to their respective homes.
Lacson said that the local government of Himamaylan is ready in case the evacuees need to stay longer at the evacuation centers.
So far, the officials from the DSWD Central Office who have visited the evacuees are also satisfied with the actions taken by the Himamaylan City officials led by Mayor Raymund Tongson, he said.
DSWD - Western Visayas records showed that 1,400 prepositioned family food packs and non-food items have been released to the affected individuals.
Currently, military protocols are prevailing in areas affected by the series of encounters.
Tongson said they are closely coordinating with the military in terms of deciding whether the evacuees will be allowed to return to their houses and delivery of assistance because the pursuit operations are still ongoing.
The clarification was made by Tongson after some members of the local media were reportedly barred from entering the evacuation centers in the city yesterday.
"There was no news blackout. The governor is with you and your mayor,” Tongson said, adding that the military is just observing protocols because of the ongoing operations.
He stressed that the military is just being careful about the situation.
In a statement, however, Pasaporte denied that they have orders to bar the media from entering the evacuation sites.
“There is no reason for us to do so,” he said.
Meanwhile, the local government of Himamaylan clarified that not all of the 18,000 individuals reportedly affected by the armed conflict are staying at the evacuation centers.
The local government has set up more than 10 evacuation centers in different areas in the city.*