Negros clashes death toll now 10

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Another suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla was killed as more armed clashes erupted on Negros Island yesterday.

The latest fatality brought to 10 the number of guerrillas killed in the firefights that started on Friday.

Of the 10 slain rebels, whose remains were left behind by their comrades, five were retrieved from two encounter sites in Moises Padilla town and one in Cauayan in Negros Occidental.

Four others were recovered from the scenes of the firefight in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, according to the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.

Government security forces involved in six encounters recovered 15 firearms, five pistols, three revolvers, two shotguns, four improvised explosive devices, eight rifle grenades, grenade launcher ammunition, fragmentation grenades and war materials, the Army said.

Two guerrillas, whose four comrades were killed in a firefight in Guihulngan on Sunday have surrendered to authorities, 2/Lt. Mary Liza Joy de Guzman, civil-military operations officer of the Army’s 62nd Infantry Brigade, said.

De Guzman said the five fatalities in Moises Padilla have been identified and their remains claimed by relatives.

No one among the soldiers was wounded in the six encounters that started last Friday.

Lt. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, chief of the Visayas Command, said the series of debacles suffered by the NPA is a result of the cooperation among the military, local officials and residents. ­– Rainier Allan Ronda