Some 270 individuals from the villages of Bahian and Pal-iw in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental returned to their respective homes on Sunday, one day after fleeing for safety following an encounter between suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and Philippine Army troopers in the area.
Lt. Col. Harold Anthony Pascua, commander of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, confirmed that these individuals had left their homes to seek safer ground on Saturday after one platoon of 79th IB soldiers led by 1Lt. Julambre Haber clashed with some 15 NPA members at Sitio Pag-inuman in Barangay Bahian.
The soldiers were on combat patrol around 1:30 p.m. Saturday when they chanced upon the armed group with whom they exchanged gunfire for about 45 minutes.
Pascua said his men were acting to text messages and information from concerned citizens who said they sighted in the vicinity of their sub-village unidentified armed men wielding high-powered firearms and asking for food.
Residents in the area fled to avoid being caught in the crossfire and spent the night at the barangay halls of Pal-iw and Bahian, Lt. Col. Pascua confirmed.
Lt. Col. Pascua assured that no civilians were injured or abused while there were no collateral damages during the encounter between government troops and rebel forces.
Two UH-1H helicopter gunships deployed Sunday morning to ferry soldiers and deliver supplies in the mountainous areas of Tanjay City as soldiers continued their pursuit operations against the NPA rebels.
Pascua revealed that his battalion has intensified combat operations against the NPA as the military is beating a deadline to clear the province of Negros Oriental from insurgency by June this year.
The Army battalion commander appealed to the “remnants” of the NPA to lay down their arms and return peacefully to the folds of the law as he reiterated his previous warning of relentless operations against the rebels.
Lt. Col. Pascua has assured that the military is in constant communication with the village officials to ensure that civilians’ rights are not violated. (PNA)
