BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – The command group of a New People’s Army unit was wiped out in a clash yesterday in the southern Negros town of Binalbagan while a ranking Communist woman cadre was nabbed in the north as the dead season deepens here, the Sugarbowl of the country.
The 79th Infantry Battalion based in Sagay City said Isabelle Necesario @Maoline/Nads/Diane/Idel, a deputy secretary of the Northern Negros Front declared by the Army as dismantled was captured in the village of Marcelo, Calatrava town, battallion spox Lt. Dansen Camua said.
Camp Gerona also reported today the dead rebels in the Binalbagan clash today have already been identified and all four were part of an NPA unit that ambushed policemen of Binalbagan 13 February, this year.
Captain Mervin Rosal, information officer of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said in a news release the three were identified as Roel Sagon alias “Berio;” Rowel Udtuhan alias “Jingjing/Caloy,” and Alden Rodriguez, 20, a resident of Manjuyod town in Oriental Negros.
Sagon and Udtuhan are both from the neighboring city of Himamaylan and are ranking fighters – Sagon as a squad leader of the regional committee’s Squad 3 and Udtuhan his assistant.
The dead woman rebel was identified as Nika Ledesma alias “Sarah Jane/ Chai,” 20, from Cebu City.
She was identified as the “political guide” of the same squad.
Underground sources told DNX the political guide, also known as a political officer, is the Communist Party Cadre assigned to an NPA unit and is usually the secretary or leader of that group.
The four were killed when their unit clashed with joint operatives from the 94th Infantry Battalion, the elite 33rd Division Reconnaissance Company and Neg. Oc. Police Mobile Force Company around 9:30 am in the upland community of Amilis, Santol village.
The rest of the release from Rosal reads:
Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Brigade Commander said that troops acted on reports from residents regarding the presence of armed in the area engaged in “extortion and recruitment activities”. The security operation resulted to an encounter that led to the seizure of the following war materials: One (1) M16 rifle with attached M203 Grenade Launcher, two (2) M16 rifles, one (1) AK-47, one (1) M14 rifle, one (1) cal .45 pistol, two (2) 40mm M203 live ammos, seventy (70) pcs 5.56mm M16 live ammos,, thirty-eight (38) pcs 7.62mm M14 live ammos, five (5) M16 long magazine, two (2) M16 long magazine, five (5) M16 short magazines, five (5) M14 magazines, one (1) cal .45 magazine, one (1) M16 magazine spring, two (2) bolos, four (4) bandoliers, jungle pack, battery, flashlight, three (3) bag packs, five (5) sling bags, five (5) hammocks, three (3) blankets, three (3) pairs of rain boots, sim card, four (4) ropes, three (3) pairs of slippers, assorted clothes, one (1) dextrose with hose, scissor, toiletries, three (3) wallets, five (5) lighters, make up kit, medicines, four (4) packs of rice, IDs and other subversive documents along with the body of said CTG members.
“The 4 CTG members killed were part of CTGs under Central Negros 2, KR-N responsible for the ambushed on the Binalbagan PNP patrol car last February of this year.
They were deceptively recruited for the ideology they do not even understand. It paints the true color of the CTGs who disregard the concern and human rights of the people by abandoning their dead members in their struggle particularly their female member,” BGEN Pasaporte added.
