By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The New People’s Army (NPA) Leonardo Panaligan Command denied being behind the killing of Guihulngan City Councilor Paulo Edison Dela Rita, which occurred earlier this week.

In a statement sent late Tuesday night, spokesperson Ka JB Regalado claimed police and military forces suspected Dela Rita was conniving with rebel forces and planned last year’s NPA ambush that killed then-Guihulngan City police chief, Police Superintendent Arnel Arpon, and five other cops.

Regalado said the city councilor and his family were under close surveillance by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The rebel group also confirmed the slain city official was a target of the NPA for alleged “anti-people” and anti-revolutionary movements, including suspected graft and other corrupt practices as chairman of the city council’s appropriation committee.

The group accused Dela Rita of overpricing government supplies and failing in the delivery of social services, resulting in the city councilor being sentenced to death by the Revolutionary Court.

However, following the deadly ambush, Dela Rita reportedly approached the NPA and asked for forgiveness, prompting the revolutionary movement to review the cases against him.

The Revolutionary Court concluded the city official was sincere in “transforming himself.”

Following initial police investigations into the recent shooting, police are also looking into the possibility the incident is connected to the killing of his bodyguard, Ramon Perez, who was gunned down last week./DGB, WDJ