BACOLOD CITY – The Army 3rd Infantry Division said the encounter on Thursday, September 21, in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, in which six New People’s Army rebels were killed, is a big blow to the communist guerrillas and brings them closer to becoming inconsequential.
The military has identified five fatalities in the encounter in Sitio Lubi, Barangay Tabugon – Alejo delos Reyes, also known as “Peter” and “Bravo,” leader of Squad 2 of the Sangay Yunit Propaganda (SYP) Platoon 3; his wife, Melissa dela Pena, alias “Diane”; Marjon Alvior, alias “Kenneth,” vice squad leader of Squad 2, SYP Platoon 3; Bobby Pedro, alias “Recoy,” vice squad leader of Squad 3, SYP Platoon 3, and Mario Fajardo Mullon, alias “Reco” and “Goring,” medic of Squad 1 from SYP Platoon 3. The sixth remains unidentified.
TROOPS recover firearms, personal belongings, and subversive documents following a clash in which six NPA rebels were killed in Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Thursday, September 21. (Photo courtesy of 3rd ID)
The clash broke out when the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) responded to a tip from residents about the presence of armed persons believed to be members of the SYP Platoon, South West Front (SWF), Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) extorting and collecting food from them. The firefight lasted for about 10 minutes.
The 3rd ID said that the group of Delos Reyes was tagged as responsible in the ambush-slay of two soldiers of the 15th IB in Cauayan, Negros Occidental in April 2021 and the death of two intelligence operatives of the 47th IB in Sipalay City in November 2022.
The Army said that the Delos Reyes was also allegedly responsible for killing 65-year-old Silas Granada of Barangay Pinggot in Ilog, Negros Occidental last January. The group was also tagged in the killing of Granada's father over a land dispute.
Major Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd ID commander, lauded the 47th IB for their relentless effort to hunt remaining NPA rebels operating on Negros Island.
“This incident is not only a big blow to the NPA, and brings them closer to becoming inconsequential, but most importantly, this is justice being served to the victims of their willful killings,” Sison said.
The Kabankalan clash occurred two weeks after the successive encounters of the 47th IB in Bohol where six NPA rebels were also killed.