Soldiers, rebels clash in Siaton, Negros Or.

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines  — A 15-minute firefight ensued between government troopers and suspected New People’s Army rebels in Barangay Apoloy of Siaton town in Negros Oriental, at about 9:40 a.m. Thursday.

The encounter between government soldiers and suspected rebels in southern Negros Oriental, in the area of coverage of the 79th Infantry Battalion, was the second to take place this quarter, according to Col. Marion Sison, battalion commander.

A report from the Philippine Army showed that soldiers from the 32nd Division Reconnaissance Company of the 3rd Infantry Division were conducting patrol operation at sitio Danao in Brgy. Apoloy when they were fired upon by about nine rebels, one of whom was a woman.

No casualty was reported on the government side and it was undetermined if the rebels suffered losses, said Sison although he received reports that a rebel might have been injured based on the bloodstains on the withdrawal route of the NPA guerrilas.

Recovered at the encounter site were two jungle hammocks, two backpacks, one gas stove with attaché case, a communist flag, personal belongings and subversives documents, the report added.

Pursuit operations continued yesterday despite bad weather that hampered Thursday’s attempt to bring in a Philippine Army K-9 sniffing dog to track down the rebels, said Sison.

Sison said a civilian and former member of the NPA’s mass base had provided information to the military about the presence of armed men in their village.

This led to Thursday’s encounter as soldiers kept up their patrols especially in the hinterland villages that have been affected by insurgency, Sison added.