An army soldier was wounded during an encounter Sunday with suspected New People's Army rebels in the hinterlands of Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental at the height of the weekend celebration of All Saints' Day.

Private First Class Edwin Gardose of the 79th Infantry Battalion sustained a gunshot wound on his chest and was rushed to a hospital in Dumaguete City where he is now recuperating.

Lt. Col. Erwin Bernard Neri, commanding officer of the 79th IB, said his men were on patrol operations at about 4:30 p.m. Sunday when they chanced upon a small band of suspected rebels in the vicinity of Sitio Halway in Barangay Nagbinlod, Sta. Catalina.

A 30-minute firefight ensued before the rebels withdrew, Neri added.

He said they had earlier received information from civilians about sightings of armed groups in the hinterlands of Sta. Catalina.

The army troops recovered an M-14 armalite rifle from the encounter scene.

Neri said the rebels were believed to be members of the Sulphur Platoon of the NPA's Komiteng Rehiyon Sentral Bisayas operating in southern Negros Oriental.

Earlier, military commanders in the province said they were on heightened security alert after the back-to-back commemoration of the traditional religious feast days, when people would flock to the cemeteries to remember and pray for the souls of the departed loved ones.

Police director, Senior Supt. Augusto Marquez Jr., had also said that police stations in the province were under strict instructions not to let their guards down on these days.

Last year, about 20 presumed NPA rebels raided the police station in La Libertad town in northern Negros Oriental at the height of the All Souls Day celebration on Nov. 2, and carted away firearms and personal belongings.

Police Officer I Carl Mark Jopillo was wounded in the raid as he single-handedly exchanged fire with the rebels as they withdrew from the police station.

Marquez had earlier deployed five inspection teams to assess the police stations before the long weekend holiday break.*JFP

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