BACOLOD, Philippines – The evacuee count from clashes between the military and communist rebels in Barangay Calabaran, Himamaylan rose to 1,767 on Friday afternoon, October 7, after social workers finished vetting reports from churches, schools, village centers and private establishments that took in fleeing residents on Thursday, October 6.

Mayor Raymond Tongson said the city government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development Pantawid program sent relief goods to the temporary shelters so evacuees can remain in comfort until fighting between the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion and New People’s Army eases up.

The City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) office also started psycho-social activities at Himamaylan’s Gawad Kalinga regional evacuation center to ease the trauma of children, women, and the elderly who endured hours of loud gunfire and artillery on Thursday afternoon. 

CSWD chief Ever Grace Castro told Rappler in a telephone interview that while some students were looking for their parents, the children were with other relatives.

“We’re trying to take down everyone’s name in every evacuation site so that kin who were separated can immediately find each other,” Castro said in a mix of Hiligaynon and English.

Himamaylan Mayor Raymond Tongson estimated the number of evacuees at 700 but the CSWD’s headcount was over 1,100 individuals.

Hot pursuit

The CSWD teams fanned out even as the 303rd Infantry Brigade in Negros Occidental sent air assets and other equipment to support the 94th IB’s pursuit of an estimated 20 to 40 communist rebels.

Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade (303rd IB) and 94th IB chief Lieutenant Colonel Van Donald Almonte flew a Philippine Air Force Black Hawk helicopter to survey encounter sites in sitios Sig-ang and Medel.

Pasaporte called reports of slain minors as “fake news.” There were no reports by troops or civilians to back up the photos posted on several social media pages, including those of local news outfits.

Troops saw some blood stains on the path of retreating rebels but did not recover any body, Pasaporte said.

“We have not received a full detailed report yet from the Army, and we respect that since there are ongoing operations,” the mayor said.

The Mount Cansermon Command-NPA South Central Negros Front (MCC-NPA) said they suffered no casualties during the clash.

Tongsaid said the city has enough resources to take care of affected residents. Aside from the Gawad Kalinga site, the city has two to three more satellite shelters, he added.

He noted that the city’s residents, including students, were pitching in to show solidarity with the evacuees. The Red Cross had also visited the evacuation center and brought aid.

The mayor met with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to streamline reports and evaluate future needs.

“Right now, we’re just trying to deal with problems based on the protocol of the Philippine Army, as we cannot enter the communities,” he told Rappler.

“Hopefully, by tonight activity in the uplands will die down so they can go back to their homes,” Tongson said

Where they fled

Castro told Rappler earlier that her team tracked 17 families or 80 individuals to a church in Barangay Caradio-an. 

She said 19 families (78 individuals) took shelter in Barangay Talaban Elementary School, and 73 families (255 individuals) in Tungo Elementary School in neighboring Barangay Cabadiangan.

Around 101 families comprising 458 individuals stayed overnight at the city’s main evacuation site in Barangay 3 near the Himamaylan center. 

A beach resort in Barangay Aguisan also took in some evacuees but teams had yet to report on their numbers.

Castro confirmed reports of 17 families or 76  individuals fleeing over the border to Payao, in neighboring Binalbagan, and the 44 families (182 persons) who stayed overnight at the Carabalan barangay hall.

But she said these groups left early on Friday morning to check on their homes and animals. Village officials said they would try to get as many as possible out of the danger areas.

Some men also left the main evacuation center but promised to return in the afternoon. 

“I would rather they all stay here where they will have food, water, and shelter, and most of all be safe.  I do not recommend going back to their villages until the military gives the greenlight,” Castro said. – Rappler.com