BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The Army has “encouraged” at least 50 residents from an upland village in the Oriental Negros city of Guihulngan days after a series of gunbattles Saturday that led to the displacement of civilians.
Army Capt. Raymond Jamisal told DNX these residents from the sub-village of Batong Buang in the hinterland village of Trinidad stayed temporarily in the barangay hall where local government officials took care of them.
Most of them were mothers and children, Jamisal, the civil military officer of the 62nd Infantry Battalion, said as he added that the most of the wives told him their husbands were working in the cities of Cebu, Dumaguete and other places.
The Saturday encounters, which took place between troopers of the 62nd IB and an estimated 20 guerrillas of the New People’s Army, started around 1pm followed by three other skirmishes.
Jamisal said the residents are “safe to go back to their homes” after soldiers conducted pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels.