• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Desperate of getting new recruits, remnants of the New People’s Army (NPA) have resorted to terrorizing their former comrades and supporters in southern Negros to the extent of killing them for refusing to return to the armed struggle, Philippine Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) commander Lt. Col. Elmar Salvador said.
He condemned the killing of five innocent civilians, especially in Cauayan town and Kabankalan City, in the past two months.
The Armando Sumayang Jr. Command (ASJC) issued a statement claiming responsibility for the death of Joshua Rabor in Barangay Camalanda-an, Cauayan and Garde Francisco in Barangay Camansi, Kabankalan City.
Salvador said the rebel remnants were also responsible for the recent death of a purok chairwoman in Barangay Lina-on, Cauayan.
He identified the group of rebel remnants led by “Ka Kalbo” as those behind her death.
Salvador said the rebel remnants are aggressive in their recruitment activities as they force their former supporters to also become Red fighters.
Those who refused have been subjected to their terror campaign, he added.
The ASJC claimed that Tabor was an asset of the 15IB.
Salvador said in a radio interview their focused military operations, in coordination with the Philippine National Police, are being conducted without let-up to neutralize the rebel remnants.
The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command claimed responsibility for the death of Anacito Mahinay at Sitio Basag, Barangay Tigbao, Calatrava on Oct. 2 while the Leonardo Panaligan Command “imposed a death penalty” on Ryan Librea and Pidio Kalderon in Barangays Binalbagan and Bucalan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
They accused all the three victims as military informants.
Salvador, who admitted being alarmed by the spate of killings, stressed the importance of community support in reporting the presence of any armed group. | GB
