The 15th Infantry Battalion killed a member of the New People’s Army (NPA) and also suspected the victim as a member behind the ambush in Brgy. Mabato, Municipality of Ayungon.

According to authorities, they were supposed to arrest Mitchell Fat in Barangy Dancalan, Ilog town, Negros Occidental. However, the suspect allegedly fired back at them. Fat was reportedly brought to a hospital in Kabankalan City but was declared dead upon arrival.

Last July 18, 2019, four policemen were ambushed by armed men at Barangay Mabato in Ayungon. They were Corporal Relbert Beronio, Patrolman Raffy Callao, Patrolman Ruel Cabellon, and Patrolman Marquino de Leon. Debold Sinas, then director of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), stated that they were on their way to meet their contact at Sitio Yamut about rebels in the area when the incident occurred.

Meanwhile, the New People’s Army mourned the loss of Mitchell Fat or “Ka-Epi” who was shot at the 109th kilometer marker in Brgy. Dancalan. In a released statement, the Mount Cansermon Command-NPA stated that they honor the martyrs in their national democratic struggle to put an end to the semi-feudal and semi-colonial system in the Philippines. However, they did not claim responsibility for the death of the Ayungon cops. They further vowed to continue their armed resistance against the administration of Duterte.