DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – Army troopers of the 79th Infantry Battalion based in Siaton, Negros Oriental clashed anew, in a five-minute gunbattle, with members of the New People’s Army yesterday morning in the adjacent town of Sta. Catalina.
The encounter was the second to take place this week amid preparations by the military and the police to secure the polling places and maintain peace and order two days ahead of the automated elections tomorrow.
Lieutenant Col. Marion Sison, 79th Infantry Battalion commander, disclosed that around 10:15 a.m. Saturday, two squads of the battalion, led by Cpl. Ysrael Yosores and PFC Andy Llena, while on combat operation, encountered with about seven fully-armed rebels in the hinterland Brgy. Milagros in Sta. Catalina.
The rebels withdrew towards the northwest, and the soldiers recovered from the site six pieces of empty shells of bullets for M-16 rifles, a pair of slippers,a red cap, a belt bag with dried rolled leaves of black plum and a lighter.
No casualties were reported in that encounter but the government troops continued their pursuit operations to quell further attempts of the suspected rebels to mar the May 13 polls. (FREEMAN)