Recovered items after the firefight between a joint police-military force and suspected rebels include live ammunition, AK-47 magazines, medical kits and two backpacks with personal belongings. | PHOTO courtesy of 62nd Infantry Battalion
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental —One police officer was wounded while one suspected rebel was killed in a clash that happened in a hinterland area in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental on Wednesday, October 9, the military said in a statement.
Lieutenant Colonel Egberto Dacoscos, commanding officer of the 62nd Infantry Battalion, said one suspected rebel perished during a firefight between the police-military force and more or less 10 insurgents believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) based on the blood stains found at the encounter site.
The wounded police officer is now in stable condition.
READ: Joint police-military force clash with suspected NPAs in Kabankalan City
In a press statement, Dacoscos said this is the third monitored positive information that the joint police-military force conducted against the group.
The military said the encounter followed after the discovery of the suspected NPA members’ encampment site last October 5 which also resulted in a firefight.
“This is just a manifestation that the areas they are currently operating are always monitored through the support of concerned individuals,” the statement reads.
The military said this is part of their continuing effort to flush out communist rebels.
Recovered at the encounter site were one rifle grenade, TWO AK-47 magazines, 117 rounds 7.62 live ammunition, two pairs of rain boots and tripwires for improvised explosive device.
A medical kit with paraphernalia and various medicines, two batteries, one pouch and two backpacks, which contained personal belongings, were also recovered at the site of the encounter. / celr