AN NPA leader was killed in a gun battle with troops in Negros Occidental.
BACOLOD CITY – A New People’s Army commander was killed in an encounter with soldiers in Negros Occidental over the weekend.
Lt. Col. Zeigfred Tayaban, commander of the 94th Infantry Battalion (IB), said that Reynaldo Elecre, alias Amik, in his mid-60s, was killed in a gun battle in Barangay Bi-ao, Binalbagan on Friday, Jan. 30.
Tayaban said Elecre, from Maco, Davao de Oro who married in Bohol, was regional secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyon Negros and supervised NPA operations in the Negros Island Region (NIR).
Recovered from Elecre was a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition, communication gadgets, and personal belongings were found in the encounter site.
Elecre was among the remaining members of the dismantled Central Negros 2 (CN2) unit encountered by troops earlier that day in Barangay Bi-ao where Regie Pacheco, alias Dante, a resident of Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental and CN2’s finance and logistics officer linked to extortion activities, and a member of the Regional Strike Force, was killed.
These encounters displaced around 60 families and residents were allowed to return after clearing operations. No casualties were reported among government forces.
Tayaban said Elecre’s death would create a leadership vacuum within the group and significantly weaken its efforts to regain influence and prevented a planned sabotage of government infrastructure in the area.
Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson urged communist rebels to surrender and accept government assistance.
“It’s an ongoing battle between the government and our rebel brothers and sisters, but we are hoping for a lasting solution to this peace and order problem,” he said.
Meanwhile, two NPA rebels were killed on Saturday, Jan. 31, in an encounter with the 47th IB in Sitio Laos Dako, Barangay Binobohan, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental during operations against remnants of the dismantled Central Negros 1 (CN1).
Recovered were an M16 rifle, four long magazines, a .45 caliber pistol, a hand grenade, two mobile phones, and various subversive documents.
The 3rd Infantry Division credited the successful operation to community cooperation.