SEVEN New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, including their leader, were killed in a series of clashes with government troops in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental yesterday morning.
Col. Erwin Rommel Lamzon, spokesman of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division based in Capiz, said the fighting also resulted in the seizure of eight high-powered firearms and a handgun.
Lamzon said troops from the Army’s 47th, 11th and 15th infantry battalions conducted a combat operation in Barangay Tapi, where the group of NPA rebels was monitored.
The group was led by Reniel Locsin Cellon, alias Ka Kumpol, commanding officer of the already-dismantled Southwest Front of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon NCBS (Negros, Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor).
Lamzon said the firefight broke out at around 5:35 a.m., which was followed by three other skirmishes, the last at around 6:50 a.m.
During clearing operations, Lamzon said the troops recovered the remains of seven NPA rebels — four females and three males, including Cellon, who had an amputated right arm.
Lamzon initially said five rebels died in the fighting. He later reported the recovery of two more NPA bodies, bringing the death toll to seven.
Also recovered were six M16 rifles, a submachine gun, an M203 grenade launcher which was attached to one of the M16s, and a 9mm pistol.
No one was reported killed or injured on the military side.
