BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Armed skirmishes between Army soldiers and suspected New People’s Army rebels took place yesterday in Sitio Uway-Uway, Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.
Lt. Col. Melvin Flores, 62nd Infantry Battalion commander said he, believes that some of the 15 NPA rebels fleeing from the encounter site were injured as indicated by bloodstains seen by pursuing government troopers along their withdrawal routes.
Recovered from the encounter site were two rice pots with cooked rice believed to be taken from the populace, cellular phones, flashlights and personal belongings.
Flores said the running gunbattle, which lasted for almost 15 minutes, took place after residents in the area, who were complaining of rebel extortion activities, reported their presence to the 62IB.
He also reported that NPA rebels are now suffering from hunger and exhaustion as their emissaries encountered difficulties in finding supplies of foods and other basic needs because of the COVID-19 pandemic.*
