Two alleged members of New People's Army (NPA), including a former peace consultant of the National Democratic Front, were killed in a clash with government forces in Negros Occidental on Wednesday.

In a Facebook post, Bayan Secretary General Renato Reyes said the National Democratic Front in Negros identified one of the fatalities as Ericson Acosta, a peace consultant of NDF.

According to the 94th Infantry Battalion, the troops encountered around 10 armed men at the vicinity of Sitio Makilo, Barangay Camansi, Kabankalan City around 2am.

The military said troops were responding to the reported presence of armed men conducting extortion.

"According to the NDF-Negros, Ericson was captured alive but later killed. There was no firefight that took place. The manner of killing is consistent with many summary executions made to appear as 'encounters' and 'firefights'," Reyes said.

But, Col. Xerxes Trinidad, Army spokesman, denied the allegation of NDF-Negros. He noted that reports from their men said ''it was a legitimate encounter and pursuit operation that led to the death of the two CNT (Communist NPA Terrorists).''

''The statement made by NDF-Negros are mere propaganda to besmirch the gallantry of our soldiers in protecting the people of Negros against the terrorist activities of the NPAs,'' said Trinidad.

Government forces also seized "one KG9 with magazine and ammunition, two Cal.45 pistols with magazines and ammo, two hand grenades, one Bagong Hukbong Bayan flag, one CPP Flag, two Mao caps, subversive documents and lecture materials."

Reyes said Acosta "was an editor of the Philippine Collegian, a former chair of Alay Sining, former chair of political alliance Stand UP, a former member of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, theater actor and songwriter, and a National Book Awardee for poetry."

"He was also a political prisoner from 2011 to 2013. He was released from detention after the Department of Justice junked the trumped-up charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives filed against him," said Reyes.

"During the peace talks in 2016-2017, he was an NDF consultant for the drafting of the agreement on Socio-Economic Reforms and participated in the formal peace talks and discussions of the reciprocal working committees," he added. Robina Asido/DMS