Guihulngan City: Government troops of the 62nd Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army clashed with suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in three separate incidents in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

According to Philippines News Agency, Lt. Col. Evelio Ilanga, commanding officer of the 62IB, reported that the initial clash occurred around 6 a.m. in Barangay Humay-humay. Soldiers encountered about nine remnants of the dismantled Central Negros 1 (CN1) guerrilla front, resulting in a brief three-minute firefight before the insurgents retreated.

The soldiers managed to recover one high-powered firearm, some live rounds of ammunition, magazines, and personal belongings left behind by the suspected NPA rebels. Ilanga noted that pursuit operations led to two more brief skirmishes with the same group later that day at separate locations, though he declined to provide additional details.

Ilanga assured the public that the military is committed to preventing any disruptions by the NPA during the upcoming elections, particularly in Guihulngan City. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has classified Guihulngan City and La Libertad under the red category-the highest level-due to the presence of armed groups. Basay has been placed under the orange category, while the remaining 22 towns and cities in Negros Oriental are classified under the yellow category.