• THERESA MAE DULMAN
The New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed responsibility for the killing of a 59-year-old farmer in Barangay Yao-yao, Cauayan, Negros Occidental Oct. 4, alleging that the victim was executed following a decision by their “people’s court” over rape accusations.
In a statement Oct. 7, Ka Andrea Guerrero, spokesperson for the NPA’s Armando Sumayang Jr. Command Southwest Negros Guerrilla Front, said a unit of the armed group carried out the death sentence against alias “Natoy”.
The rebel group accused him of repeatedly raping a minor in 2024 and abusing the same victim in 2026, prompting their forces to carry out the execution.
The Cauayan Municipal Police Station (MPS) confirmed that the shooting occurred at around 5:40 a.m. Oct. 4 at Purok 1, Barangay Yao-yao.
Investigators said the widowed farmer was about to feed his pigs behind his house when unidentified armed individuals shot him multiple times with unknown calibers of firearm.
The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot, the police added. | TMD
