Reports about the deployment of top cadres of the New People’s Army from Luzon to Western Visayas, was again bolstered by the critical injuries of two NPA top leaders and two others, in a recent encounter with 61st Infantry Battalion in Tapaz town of Capiz, the military said.

Maj. Enrico Gil Ileto, 3rd Infantry Division commander, yesterday said a certain “Isay,” who came from central Luzon, and sits as a member of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Panay executive committee, and a certain Ka Rev, both in their middle 50s, were critically injured in the gunbattle.

Ileto said Isay was hit in the right thigh, while alias Rev sustained a gunshot wound in his waist and pelvic area.

Col. Francisco Patrimonio, 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, had earlier confirmed the deployment of future Bohol-based cadres and fighters of the NPA to Negros island, which they use as their training ground.

Bohol was declared “insurgency-free” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines last year.

Thousands of documents in both printed and electronic form, with high intelligence value, six improvised explosives with assorted detonating devices, laptop computer with printer, a generator set, 17 backpacks with personal belongings, 85 rounds of M16 rifle and 12 gauge shotgun, seven rifle and fragmentation grenades, and a Springfield rifle, were left behind by the fleeing rebels in their abandoned camp in Brgy. Buri, Tapaz, Capiz..

Ileto said the voluminous documents will save more lives in the future as they provide more information for the conduct of operations by soldiers in Panay.

He also said this development will contribute to the continued reduction of quality cadres at the regional level in the NPA movement.

Ileto said the KR-Panay was on a regional plenum when the encounter took place with other top NPA senior cadres, including Concha Bocala-Araneta, Cynthia Deduro, alias Tonying and Bading, present.

Ileto said a sudden influx of NPA cadres from Luzon to Western Visayas Negros, is intended to augment the dwindling number of quality rebel cadres, especially from the youth and student sectors. *GPB

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