Items recovered by soldiers from the encounter site in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental. | contributed photo
DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental–Four soldiers were wounded after being ambushed by at least five suspected rebels at the boundary of Barangay Linantuyan in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, and Barangay Luz Sikatuna in Isabela, Negros Occidental on Tuesday night, March 3, 2020.
Liutenant Colonel Egberto Dacoscos, Commanding Officer of the 62nd Infantry (Unifier) Brigade, told CDN Digital that the members of the Alpha Company of the 94th Infantry (Mandirigma) Battalion came from their Community Support Program (CSP) activities when the vehicle they were riding was ambushed using an improvized explosive device (IED).
After the IED explosion, an encounter ensued between the members of the New People’s Army (NPA).
“Dumaan sila road na yan and pagbalik nila naglagay ang kalaban ng IED tapos nagstart na yung encouentro,” Dacoscos said.
The Alpha Company of the 94th IB is under the operational control of Dacoscos.
Dacoscos refused to identify the four wounded soldiers since their families have yet to be informed.
However, Dacoscos said the wounded soldiers are all in stable condition in a hospital.
The firefight between the government troops and armed men lasted for ten minutes before the suspected rebels withdrew towards an unknown direction.
The authorities are now conducting intelligence gathering and monitoring in the area. /bmjo