NPA raids Escalante PMG,
high-powered guns taken
Calima relieves two officers;
Choppers help pursue rebels
BY CARLA GOMEZ

New People's Army fighters raided the Community Police Assistance Center of the Philippine National Police 1st Provincial Mobile Group in Barangay Malasibog, Escalante City, 6 a.m. yesterday and divested government troopers of their firearms, Senior Supt. Charles Calima, PNP provincial director, said.

About 30 to 40 NPA fighters, including one woman, overran the detachment while two policemen and eight Civilian Volunteer Organization members were having breakfast and were caught unaware, Calima said.

Taken from the detachment by the NPA fighters were two M-14, two M-16 and three Garand rifles, a .45 caliber pistol and one M-60 light machine gun, Calima said.

Former red
surrenders armaments
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The Army's 11th Infantry Battalion Saturday recovered a .30 caliber machine gun and an anti-tank weapon from a former platoon leader of the New People's Army in central Negros.

Lt. Col. Jesus Manangquil, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, yesterday said Ka Leny, whose real name is being withheld for security reasons, had gone inactive for several years from the New People's Army. On Saturday, he surrendered a heavy machine gun and a 55 recoiless rifle, an anti-tank weapon, which is capable of destroying an armored personnel carrier or V-150 of the Philippine Army.

The surrender of Ka Leny came almost a week after a NPA platoon leader, identified as a certain Ellano, alias Sword, also gave himself up to Manangquil and also surrender an M-1 carbine rifle.

Guv's wish: Peace for Negros
BY CARLA GOMEZ

SAGAY CITY - Gov. Joseph Marañon, who celebrated his 72nd birthday here yesterday, said his wish is for Negros Occidental to become peaceful.

He reiterated his call to rebel forces to agree to talks with provincial government officials so they can discuss programs to further uplift the lives of the people.

The governor's birthday wish came following reports that the NPA had overran a 1st Police Mobile Group detachment in Escalante City yesterday morning.