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CEBU CITY, Philippines — An alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in an ‘encounter’ with government troops in Sitio Tamusi, Barangay Talalak in Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental on Friday, July 1, 2022.
In a statement released late at night on Friday, Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) said at least five members of the Communist Terrorist Group exchanged fire with the government troops who were patrolling the area.
“Troops of SP/11IB, 32MICO, Provincial Intelligence Unit, Santa Catalina Municipal Police Station, Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, and 705th Maneuver Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7 conducted an operation at Sitio Tamusi, Barangay Talalak, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, at around 7:00 AM and had an armed encounter,” Vega said in a statement.
In a report, the 11th Infantry (Lapu-Lapu) Battalion said that the encounter lasted for at least eight minutes resulting in the death of a certain Cristanto “Locsin” Lagradilla, an alleged member of Squad 2 Southeast Front (SEF) (D), Komiteng Rehiyon- Negros, Bohol, Cebu, and Siquijor (KR-NCBS). But his companions managed to escape.
Lagradilla and his four companions were identified by authorities as remnants of the Southeast Front (SEF) (D), Komiteng Rehiyon- Negros, Bohol, Cebu, and Siquijor (KR-NCBS).
Government troops also recovered a KG-9 rifle, a KG-9 magazine with twenty-live ammunition, one magazine for an M-16 rifle with eight live ammunition, and one magazine for caliber. 45 pistol with three live ammunition, a bandolier, two units of Baofeng radios, a backpack, and subversive documents.
“Another victim of Communist NPA Terrorist (CNTs) got killed because of their leaders who are eager to recover their former members in order to increase armed elements. We, the government forces, will never allow their recovery efforts and injustices of destroying the lives of their recruits,” Lieutenant Colonel Roderick, commanding officer of the 11th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army who is based in Siaton, Negros Oriental said in a separate press statement.
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