2 RHB members die in encounter
BACOLOD CITY – Two suspected members of the Rebolusyonaryong Hukbo ng Bayan (RHB) died in an encounter with Army soldiers in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental recently.
RHB is known as the splinter group of New People’s Army and has been linked to a series of robbery-hold-up and extortion activities, especially in the hinterlands of Cauayan and Kabankalan.
1Lt. Joselito Dalida, 61st Infantry Battalion Civil Military Operations chief, identified the two slain rebels as Gerry Domingo, alias Ka Temyong/Dencio, and Irene Barrientos, alias Ka Rhea.
“The presence of an armed group in the place was relayed to us by residents who are fed up with the extortion activities of the rebels,” Dalida said.
Military reports revealed that the encounter lasted for almost 15 minutes, and the rebels scampered in various directions, leaving the bodies of their slain comrades.
The operatives recovered from the encounter site two .38 caliber revolvers, a .45 caliber pistol, two fragmentation grenades, three cell phones and subversive documents.
“Fortunately there was no casualty on the government side,” Dalida added.
The remains of the two victims were brought to the DND Funeral Parlor in Kabankalan City, where they can be claimed by their families.
There are 10 armed RHB members operating in the upland areas of Cauayan and Kabankalan City.
The RHB was formed by the disgruntled leaders of the CPP-NPA in the late 1990s. As per record it has 30 armed followers operating southern Negros.
Dalida also thanked the full cooperation of the masses and partnership between the local government units and the military in southern Negros for their successful anti-insurgency campaign.