By Nanette Guadalquiver | Philippine News Agency
Troops of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) seized the hideout and captured a key leader of the dismantled New People’s Army-North Negros Front (NPA-NNF), following a clash in remote Barangay Bandila of Toboso, Negros Occidental over the weekend.
The arrested rebel, identified only as alias “Pinky,” is a cohort of Roger Fabillar alias “Arnel Tapang,” an NPA hitman facing a string of murder cases in northern Negros with a P1-million bounty on his head, according to the 79IB report.
“She was arrested during the pursuit operation after the encounter and is now in the custody of Toboso Municipal Police Station,” 1Lt. Dan Carlo Samoza, 79IB civil-military operations officer, said in an interview.
A report of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office on Sunday showed that alias “Pinky,” 58, was apprehended in Sitio Malig-on Saturday morning.
She has a warrant of arrest for attempted murder without bail, issued on Jan. 27, 2021 by the Regional Trial Court Branch 59 in neighboring San Carlos City.
On Friday afternoon, troops of 79IB tracked down the location of the NPA remnants in Sitio Tauma, based on the information provided by the locals, and engaged them in a 12-minute firefight.
No one died or was injured on the government side.
According to the 79IB report, soldiers found bloodstains from the encounter site towards the rebels’ withdrawal route.
After the encounter, they recovered various weapons, including a 5.56mm assault rifle, a caliber.38 revolver, a short magazine for AK47 assault rifle, two magazines for a caliber.45 handgun and assorted live ammunition.
At the hideout, the NPA remnants left behind two backpacks, medical paraphernalia and medicines, food supplies, some personal items, and subversive documents.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, commander of 79IB, said the result of the encounter is “a testament to the unity, bravery, and unwavering dedication exhibited by both the soldiers and the members of the community.”
“It is a clear manifestation of the relentless efforts of the ‘Masaligan’ troopers to hunt down every Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army personality and bring justice to the victims of their brutal killing spree and atrocities,” he added.
