Seven suspected rebels reportedly killed
By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
Members of the Antique Police Provincial Office and the Philippine Army 61st Infantry Battalion (61 IB) clashed with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels yesterday morning in Barangay Atabay, San Jose de Buenavista, Antique, resulting in the deaths of seven supposed rebels.
Authorities named five of the fatalities as Jason Talibo, Joven Ceralvo, Jason Sanchez, Liezl Badiola, and Karen Ceralvo; meanwhile, the remaining two have yet to be identified.
Police Regional Office-6 director, Police Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, said police from the San Jose Municipal Police Station, led by Police Superintendent Mark Anthony Darroca, arrived in the area after tracing Talibo and Joven’s whereabouts.
The two were wanted for frustrated murder.
However, as police attempted to serve their arrest warrant, the suspects allegedly resisted arrest and opened fire.
As the clashes continued, local police called for reinforcements from the 61 IB and the remaining cops from the town’s police station.
The gun battle went for about an hour until the two wanted men, along with five others, were killed.
Police recovered two .38 caliber revolvers; a KG-9 automatic sub-machine pistol; a homemade shotgun; assorted ammunition, including several explosives; backpacks; and a motorcycle.
Cops and soldiers also seized several subversive documents, extortion letters with NPA markings from the Napoleon Tumagtang Command Southern Front-Panay, a laptop, mobile phones, and P34,601 in suspected extortion proceeds.
Investigations further revealed the group were members of the Regional Taxation Implementing Group, part of the NPA Komiteng Rehiyon Panay.
Bulalacao said no government forces nor nearby civilians were wounded.
“The government is serious in its fight against crimes and illegal drugs and in ensuring a peaceful community,” he added. “We will not allow, therefore, the NPA to engage in extortion activities under the guise of collecting revolutionary taxes.”
“There is only one legitimate government and that is the Philippine Government,” Bulalacao stated./DGB, WDJ
