Suspected New People’s Army rebels engaged government forces in a firefight in Negros Occidental, killing an Army officer last Tuesday (March 6).
Reports said that 2nd Lt. Jose Angelo Esguerra of the 47th Infantry Battalion was brought to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
Capt. Reylan Java, spokesperson of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said the soldiers were on their way to Barangay Basak in Cauayan town to conduct peace and development work shortly before noon when fired upon by rebels in Sitio Manluya, Barangay Tuyom, Cauayan.