An estimated 120 families have fled their homes in the hinterland villages and sub-villages of Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental following sporadic fighting between Philippine Army troops and suspected members of the rebel New People’s Army this week.
This was confirmed by Lt. Col. Marion Sison, commander of the 79th Infantry Battalion, in a telephone interview with Dumaguete media Wednesday night.
According to Lt. Col. Sison, the families have evacuated to safer ground to avoid being caught in the crossfire and hit by stray bullets as soldiers relentlessly pursue fully-armed men believed to be NPA rebels belonging to the Komiteng Rehiyon Sentral Bisayas-South East Front.
The Army commander said the Social Welfare and Development Office in Sta. Catalina town has been called in to secure and provide aid to the evacuees.
It was not immediately ascertained whether the evacuees are staying in just one evacuation site or are spread out or staying temporarily with relatives.
Already, two soldiers were killed in action while another was wounded in running gun battles and intense fighting since Monday at the height of the national and local elections.
On Wednesday, a young girl, aged between 14 to 18, and a young man, around 20 years old, were reportedly killed in fresh fighting in the mountains of Sta. Catalina.
Both remain unidentified but are believed to be NPA members, Sison said.
The slain young man was abandoned and was retrieved by soldiers and turned over to the barangay captain of San Francisco, Sta. Catalina.
The girl is believed to be seriously wounded, as seen in the trail of blood in the encounter site.
Sison said the alleged rebels could have brought the girl with them.
The 79th IB, reinforced with helicopter gunships, had launched a tactical offensive against the armed group after alleged plans by the NPA to disrupt the elections had been uncovered, Sison said.
The sporadic fighting has taken place in different but adjacent hinterland areas in Sta. Catalina, to include Milagrosa, Nagbalaye and San Francisco.
Lt. Col. Sison said he believes a reinforcement of about 50 more suspected rebels arrived in the area where the skirmishes are taking place.
Meanwhile, Catholic priest Fr. Mark Vilos, who heads the San Francisco parish, disclosed that the families who fled their villages left behind their farms, agricultural crops and livestock for fear of their lives.
Fr. Vilos said the displaced families, many from the sub-village of Lambuanon in San Francisco, were told to leave and are allegedly not being allowed to return yet pending clearing operations by Army soldiers.
Local officials want to bury the unidentified dead person but the military is opposing the idea, saying the family of the slain should claim it, the priest added. (PNA)
