Clash in Negros Occidental: Two rebels killed, 2 soldiers hurt

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Two rebels were killed while two soldiers were wounded in a clash at Sitio Bugtong Lubi in Barangay Damutan of Hinobaan town in Negros Occidental yesterday morning.

Colonel Francisco Delfin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, as of yesterday withheld the names of the fatalities and the wounded. He said the soldiers were conducting bayanihan team activity in the area when they encountered 12 members of the New Peoples Army.

Government troops recovered one baby armalite from the site, after the rebels fled.

Senior Superintendent Samuel Nacion, acting director of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said 12 hours before the Hinobaan clash, or Thursday evening, about 50 rebels also attacked a cock farm of a Revolutionary Proletarian Army leader Rene Europa in La Castellana town.

Europa was able to elude the rebels but his companion, Cirilo Bagnuran, was abducted by the NPA. Recovered from the scene were empty shells of bullets for M-6 rifle, AK-47 and M203 grenade launcher. Hot pursuit operations were still going on, police said. —Marchel P. Espina (FREEMAN)