• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The New People’s Army (NPA) claimed responsibility for the deaths of a former barangay councilman in Manapla and a farmer in Toboso, both in northern Negros Occidental on Sept. 3 and 4.
On Thursday, two unidentified armed men waylaid and gunned down Johnny Boy “Bemboy” De la Fuente, 35, on board his motorcycle after he brought his son to school in Sitio Magto-od.
He succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds and died on the spot, according to the Toboso police.
Investigators recovered a bullet shell of caliber 5.56mm rifle and five fired cartridges of caliber .45 pistol.
In Manapla on Wednesday, former councilman Pablo Brillantes was shot to death at Hacienda Cabayao in Barangay San Pablo.
The NPA Roselyn Jean Pelle Command claimed responsibility for both the killings, claiming that the victims are military informants.
PLt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR), said all angles are being considered in the investigation of the latest shooting incident.
In a statement, the PRO-NIR assured the public that they are in close coordination with the Philippine Army in identifying and for the arrest of the perpetrators.
Condemning the latest atrocities, PBrig. Gen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, PRO-NIR director, said they are mobilizing all available resources to ensure that justice is served to the victims and their families.
Incidents of summary executions have been claimed by the NPA in various cities and municipalities in northern Negros in the past several months, some of which are being investigated by the Commission on Human Rights. | GB
