Rebel leader dies in clash

Baldonado was killed during a five-minute encounter between his group of five NPa rebels and 62IB troops in sitio Banderahan, Barangay Trinidad early Monday

DUMagUETE CITY — The Philippine army disclosed that the insurgent who was killed in a clash with government troops in guihulngan City, Negros Oriental was a local guerrilla unit commander of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s army in Central Negros.

62nd Infantry Battalion commanding officer lt. Col. William Pesase said that the rebel was the head of a local NPa unit that was responsible for the death of a Civilian armed Forces geographical Unit armed auxiliary and other atrocities in guihulngan and nearby areas.

The insurgent — identified as Victoriano Baldonado, alias Rudy from sitio amumuyong in Barangay Trinidad, guihulngan City — was believed to be the commanding officer of section guerrilla Unit, Central Negros Front 1, komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol and siquijor.

The group operates in the tri-boundaries of guihulngan City and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental and Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, the army official said.

Baldonado was killed during a five-minute encounter between his group of five NPa rebels and 62IB troops in sitio Banderahan, Barangay Trinidad, early Monday.

local police, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office personnel, and soldiers recovered the body of Baldonado hours after the clash and brought it to a funeral parlor in the city proper. His family was already informed, the police said.

Pesase said Baldonado and his group were responsible for the killing of Caa Joselito Raboy on 24 september in Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, and the harassment of a Philippine National Police detachment in Barangay Trinidad on 10 september 2022 and 1 November 2022.

“They also harass and threaten former rebels and those who intend to surrender to the government,” Pesase said.