A total of 714 individuals or 207 families, who were residents of the five sitios in Barangay San Isidro, Toboso, Negros Occidental, returned to their homes on Saturday, February 24, Councilor Richard Jaojoco said.
The evacuees fled after an encounter between government troopers and members of the New People's Army ensued on Thursday, February 22, in the mountain areas of the Barangay.
Jaojoco said the evacuees from Sitios Balod, Danao, Mainit, Mansulaw, and Magasaw-asaw took shelter at the San Isidro Elementary School.
He said the municipal government provided immediate assistance to the evacuees who fled the armed conflict.
"Before they returned home we provided them hot meals while food and non-food items were given by the Department of Social Welfare and Development regional office and the Office of Vice President," Jaojoco said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development regional office in Western Visayas reported that its Disaster Response Management Division provided a total of P971,364 to Internally Displaced Individuals (IDI) affected by armed conflict in boundary barangays of Escalante City and Toboso, Negros Occidental.
"The DSWD Field Office 6 is one in heart with these local government units who respond to armed conflict. We cannot imagine the trauma of families, especially the children when they hear the exchange of gunfires. Rest assured that our office will continue to help," DILG-6 regional director Carmelo Nochete said in a statement.
Based on the reports from the local Social Welfare and Development Offices of Escalante City and Toboso, a total of 268 families with 1,092 individuals were affected.
A total of 240 families or 980 individuals currently seek refuge at evacuation centers.
The agency's DRMD Disaster Response Section allocated food and non-food items consisting of 366 family food packs, 183 hygiene kits, and 183 sleeping kits to augment the initial assistance provided by local government units.
The Municipal Action Team of Toboso administered the Disaster Assistance Family Access Cards (DAFAC), by conducting the profiling of affected families and individuals.
Meanwhile, the bodies of the NPA members were brought down from the encounter site in Sitio Mansulao, Barangay Pinapugasan, Escalante City Saturday afternoon.
Authorities identified the fatalities as Emaren Pastidio, Michael Cabahug, and Jose Caramihan.
Lt. Colonel Arnel Calaogan, 79th Infantry Battalion commander, said both Pastidio and Cabahug were previously identified as "child soldiers" and had also been captured by the 79IB.
Both Pastidio and Cabahug were given the chance to live a normal life with their families, however, they rejoined the NPA, he added.
Pastidio was also identified by the Philippine Army as a high-ranking member of the NPA's dismantled Northern Negros Front, serving as their medic and cultural officer.
He was also believed to have married Renato Salino Jr., also a high-ranking official of the Northern Negros Front.
The bodies of the rebels were turned over to the barangay officials with San Carlos Diocese Bishop Gerardo Alminaza and Dian-Ay parish priest Fr. Wilfredo Bayohin as witnesses.
Authorities also brought down the weapons and explosives they seized from the rebels and they were promptly turned over to the operatives of the Philippine National Police-Scene of the Crime Operatives.
Calaogan said they want the remains of three rebels to receive a decent burial.
After turning over the remains, the 79IB immediately called for a meeting with the local village officials of Barangay Pinapugasan, assuring them that they would continue to ensure the safety of the village's residents and keep them free from the influence of communism.
Aside from the three rebel casualties, four soldiers, including an active auxiliary member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit, were wounded.
The four, identified as 2nd Lt. Frenz Jarey Gonzales; Private First Class Sandie Cebayle; PFC Jiezard Mesina; and CAA member Eduardo Linogon, are now recovering at a private hospital in the capital Bacolod City.
The clashes in northern Negros initially took place on Wednesday, February 21, after the 79IB received information that the suspected NPA rebels were allegedly extorting food and supplies from residents.
A total of eight gun battles erupted afterward, culminating with an airstrike from the Philippine Air Force on Thursday night.*