The two suspected New People’s Army rebels who were killed in an encounter with 11th Infantry Battalion soldiers on Dec. 5 in Brgy. Amontay, Binalbagan, Negros Occidental, have been identified and claimed by their  families, the military said.

Lt. Col. Franco Nemesio Gacal, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, yesterday said the two slain rebels were identified as Lucas Estoya of Isabela town, in the province, and Fredberto Taub, of La Libertad, in Negros Oriental.

The body of Estoya, alias Ka Art, was claimed yesterday by his daughter, Dorothy, while the cadaver of Taub was  claimed  Monday night by his half-brother, Bonifacio Apatan, of Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City, from the Sabino Funeral Parlor in Binalbagan.

The  slain rebels and assorted military equipment and hardware were left at the scene of encounter by their comrades who scampered in various directions after an about 30-minute gunbattle, military records showed.

Estoya, 47, joined the rebel movement in 1993, leaving behind his wife and four children, Gacal said. He temporarily left the NPA in 1998 and worked in Sagay City, but rejoined the movement in 2006 after he returned to Isabela, as a member of the 2nd Squad, Platoon 1 of the Kilusang Larangan-Central Negros under a certain Lionel Librado, Gacal added.

He said they received reports that many rebels were also injured in the gunbattle, although they were able to escape.

The fleeing rebels, estimated at 15, also abandoned two rifle grenades, ammunition for an M-16 assault rifle and various firearms, combat and civilian packs containing medicines, assorted personal belongings and subversive documents, Gacal said.

He debunked claims that Taub was a civilian.*GPB

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