(1st UPDATE) A 6-year-old child died after government troops and suspected communist rebels allegedly caught the minor in a crossfire in Sitio Matal-i, Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday morning, October 28.
Lieutenant Colonel Divar Crisostomo, commanding officer of the 62nd Infantry Battalion, said the unit is verifying the report that the child was hit during a firefight between soldiers and alleged members of the Central Negros Front 1 (CN1) of the New People’s Army (NPA).
The government earlier declared CN1, one of the NPA’s guerrilla fronts on Negros Island, as dismantled.
Crisostomo said the clash erupted around 9 am after troops received information about the alleged presence of armed men in the area’s upland portion.
The firefight lasted for more than ten minutes, and soldiers believe they wounded several rebels, he said.
Meanwhile, the child’s death raised concerns over the safety of children and civilians in conflict-affected areas in Negros, where armed clashes between government forces and communist rebels have persisted for decades.
Crisostomo said the encounter site lies far from residential areas.
He added that clearing operations continue while the unit awaits the results of the final investigation.*
(Editor’s Note: The victim’s age has been updated to 6, as authorities later corrected it from the earlier reported 7.)
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.