BACOLOD CITY – Troops recovered the service firearm of a slain soldier following a clash with the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sitio Lubi, Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan, Negros Occidental on Thursday, September 21.
The Army 3rd Infantry Division (ID) said the government-issued .45 caliber pistol with serial number 005075 AFP issued to Sgt. Regie Glindro was among the notable items recovered from six NPA rebels from the Samahang Yunit Propaganda, Southwest Front (SWF)-Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) killed in the encounter.
THE service firearm of a slain soldier recovered following a clash between the 47th Infantry Battalion and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Thursday, September 21. (47th IB)
Glindro was one of two intelligence personnel of the 47th Infantry Battalion (IB) who died in an NPA ambush in Sitio Camboguiot, Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental on November 24, 2022.
“In a poignant turn of events, justice now appears closer at hand for the fallen Army personnel, as those responsible for their murders have paid for their crimes in an armed engagement with the Army troops, who were conducting a community security patrol in response to a report indicating the presence of NPA extortionists in the area,” the 3rd ID said.
The Army identified the fatalities as Alejo delos Reyes, alias “Peter” and Bravo,” squad leader of Squad 2 of SYP Platoon 3; his wife Melissa dela Pena, alias “Diane”; Bobby Pedro, alias “Recoy,” vice squad leader of Squad 3, SYP Platoon 3, Mario Fajardo Mullon, alias “Reco” or “Goring," medic of Squad 1, SYP Platoon 3, and Ruben Gaitan. The sixth fatality, an amazon or female NPA rebel, is yet to be identified.
The group of Delos Reyes was also tagged in several atrocities in the province such as the killing of a pastor in Sipalay City in February 2020, ambush-slay of two soldiers in Cauayan in April 2021, burning of construction equipment in Kabankalan and Sipalay in March 2022, and the murder of a civilian suspected as a military informant in Ilog last January 2023.