BACOLOD CITY – An alleged leader and notorious hitman of the New People’s Army (NPA) and his comrade were killed in a clash with the military in Sitio Kawayanan, Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental on Thursday, July 20. The Army 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) identified one of the fatalities as Marivic Ebarle, alias “Ivan,” commander of Section Guerilla Unit (SGU), Central Negros (CN) 1, while the other communist rebel has yet to be identified. A report said soldiers prevented the movement and plan of about six NPA rebels to evade them when they responded to information about the presence of insurgents in the area, resulting in an encounter that lasted 15 minutes and killed two rebels and wounded two colleagues based on bloodstains on their trail. Recovered from the encounter site were a .45 caliber pistol, .357 caliber revolver, 21 serviceable ammunition for .45 caliber firearm, six serviceable ammunition for .357 caliber revolver, two steel magazines for .45 caliber pistol, medical kits, and two backpacks with personal belongings. The Army said that these rebels led by Ebarle were the primary suspects in the murder of civilians and allegedly responsible in the harassment and extortion activities in Barangays Macagahay and Quintin Remo in Moises Padilla extending towards the boundary barangays of La Castellana, Negros Occidental and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.