BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The series of military operations in Negros Island led to two encounters and the recovery of 17 firearms with ammunition and several explosives, as well as the arrest of a suspected member of the New People’s Army, military officials reported last night.
Lt Col. Melvin Flores, 62nd Infantry Battalion commander, reported yesterday that they seized a firearms cache during a security operation in Sitio Bongao, Brgy, Trinidad, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
The seized firearms consisted of 12 firearms, including M16 assault rifles, .38 caliber revolvers and homemade 12 gauge shotguns, a magazine of M14 rifle containing 10 ammunition, and a back pack with subversive documents and a CPP-NPA flag.
During pursuit operations, Flores said his troops also figured in an encounter with seven suspected NPA rebels in Sitio Anatuling, Brgy. Budlasan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Recovered were war materials, a .45 caliber pistol, a 22 caliber revolver, seven back packs containing personal belongings, and subversive documents.
Assorted guns and explosives were also recovered by Army soldiers, after an encounter with another group of suspected NPA rebels Thursday last week in Sitio Amian, Brgy. Tan-awan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
The assorted firearms and explosives left behind by the fleeing rebels included an M16 assault with 15 magazines containing ammunition, a .45 caliber pistol, a .357 Magnum pistol, four rifle grenades, a hand grenade, five backpacks, and three bandoliers, among others.*
