Based on the subversive documents that government troops recovered from a seized New People's Army (NPA) camp in Siaton town, Negros Oriental on March 8, the communist insurgents planned to launch tactical offensives against military detachments and a geothermal power plant. Lieutenant Colonel Rey Leonardo Guerrero, 61st Infantry Battalion commander, disclosed Tuesday that the rebels, encountered by guerillas of the breakaway Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB), planned to attack the Cafgu detachments in Calagao, Zamboangita town and Napakao in Siaton. The NPA red fighters, believed to be security forces of priest-turned-rebel leader Frank "Ka Frank" Fernandez, also planned of waging atrocities at the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC), in the municipality of Valencia. All of the NPAs' identified targets are in Negros Oriental. "We are on high level of alert for any possibility," Guerrero said of the 303rd Infantry Brigade troopers who were met by Army commanding general, Lieutenant General Generoso Senga Tuesday. Troopers were also detailed to secure the PNOC. Guerrero revealed before the March 8 clash, they had received intelligence reports of the presence of about a hundred NPA rebels in Guihulngan town, Negros Oriental. The stronghold of the Fernandez-led Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros is believed to be in the uplands of Oriental.
Senga advised all battalion commanders in Negros island to be cautious and vigilant. "I believe that our units in the 303rd Infantry Brigade are very much prepared for any possibilities," he said. Guerrero said government troopers are conducting mopping operations in the encounter site and in the other adjacent places. In their March 9 clearing operations, Army personnel recovered two M-16 armalite rifles, live ammunition, and several subversive documents. Guerrero said the two rifles were found inside a sack beside the creek near the house the rebels occupied. Carapali Lualhati, national commander of the RPA-ABB, earlier confirmed the merger between two NPA factions in Negros Island--that of Fernandez in the Occidental and of "Ka Drilon" in the Oriental. Lualhati added some red fighters of the NPA from Bohol, Cebu and Leyte are in the island to reinforce their comrades. "We are intensifying our intelligence operations to preempt possible tactical offensives by the NPAs," vowed Guerrero.