BACOLOD CITY – Two New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with the Army 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Sitio Cambaga, Barangay Yao-Yao, Cauayan, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, November 7.

The Army has yet to release the names of the fatalities as of posting time.

POLICE probe the encounter site in Barangay Yao-Yao, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, where two NPA rebels were killed on Tuesday, November 7. (Photo courtesy of 15th IB)

Lt. Col. J-jay Javines, head of the Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said that soldiers were acting on information from residents on the presence of armed persons conducting extortion, recovery, and recruitment efforts in the area when the encounter erupted.

Troopers engaged 10 members of the weakened South West Front (SWF), Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS).

Javines said the bodies of the slain rebels, an M653 rifle, an M14 rifle, a .45 caliber pistol, an anti-personnel mine with blasting cap, magazines for the M14, various ammunition, medical paraphernalia, personal belongings, and subversive documents with high intelligence value were recovered in the encounter site.

The Army said that the recovered .45 caliber pistol belonged to Sgt. Jhoerom Meguillo, one of two intelligence soldiers from the 15th IB who was killed in an ambush by the NPA in Barangay Yao-yao on April 3, 2021.

The Army added that this band of communist guerrillas was involved in an encounter with the 47th IB in Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on September 21, in which six NPA rebels were killed.

The NPA said the gun battle in Cauayan was the 17th fake encounter declared by the Army, a claim denied by Javines, who said it is the communist movement's counter action to any incident as part of their propaganda.

The Army said that the firefight was legitimate, citing the recovery of bodies and war material.