By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Philippine Army confirmed the New People’s Army (NPA) was responsible for the deadly ambush that claimed the lives of a planter and his driver in Calatrava last Thursday.
In a report by Bombo Radyo-Bacolod yesterday, 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IB) spokesperson, Captain Eduardo Precioso, said the 62nd Infantry Battalion (62IB) encountered the gunmen responsible for the killing of Norberto Lumayno and Danilo Braga in Barangay Cambayobo, in the said municipality, minutes after the ambush.
The firefight lasted for several minutes until the rebels were pushed back. Precioso confirmed some of the gunmen were wounded in the fight, but could not confirm an exact number.
Precioso also presented several pieces of evidence showing the NPA was responsible for the incident, including a rebel flag and several anti-government documents discovered at the encounter site.
He added, they are still verifying the specific NPA unit responsible for the incident.
Calatrava Municipal Police Station chief, Police Chief Inspector John Joel Batusbatusan, meanwhile, said scene of the crime operatives (SOCO) are conducting ballistic examinations of the recovered shells and ammunition.
A bullet trajectory examination will also be conducted.
Earlier this week, Lumayno and Braga were gunned down by around 15 gunmen in Barangay Minapasok.
Police are currently investigating if the incident was due to land conflict as Lumayno was a local sugar planter./WDJ