Government forces from the 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) of the Philippine Army engaged in three separate skirmishes with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) insurgents in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on Thursday.
62IB Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Evelio Ilanga reported that the first encounter occurred at around 6 a.m. in Barangay Humay-humay.
Soldiers confronted approximately nine members of the dismantled Central Negros 1 (CN1) guerrilla front, resulting in a brief three-minute firefight before the insurgents retreated.
The troops recovered a high-powered firearm, live ammunition, magazines, and personal belongings left behind by the fleeing rebels.
Subsequent pursuit operations led to two more encounters with the same group later that day in separate locations. However, Ilanga declined to provide further specifics about these incidents.
He assured the public that the military remains vigilant in preventing disruptions by the NPA during the upcoming elections, particularly in Guihulngan City.
According to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Guihulngan City and La Libertad are classified as election hotspots in the ‘red’ zone, indicating the highest level of risk due to the presence of armed groups.
Basay falls under the orange category, while the remaining 22 towns and cities in Negros Oriental are categorized as yellow, signifying moderate concern.
