(Editor's note: Correcting the rank of Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte. The previous version of this article referred to him as colonel. Our apologies.)
BACOLOD CITY – Some two Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) guerrillas were killed in an encounter with soldiers of the Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday afternoon.
Brig. Gen. Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), said in an interview on Wednesday the incident took place while the soldiers were conducting security operations in the village.
The fatalities were identified as Florida “Kelly” Ceballos, secretary of the NPA’s Central Negros 2, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, and Wifredo “Dino” Fuentes, the courier of Central Negros 2.
Their remains were brought to the city proper on Wednesday morning.
The 303IBde and the 94IB have yet to release photos of the fatalities.
Pasaporte said at almost 1 p.m., the troops engaged about 10 communist rebels in Sitio Belo at the foot of Mt. Cansermon near the province’s border with Negros Oriental.
“They have been conducting security operations in the area. There was a series of incidents before the encounter,” he added.
After the clash, the troops recovered two .45 caliber and a .38 caliber pistols with ammunition, two hand grenades, several mobile phones, subversive documents, and personal belongings.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
