BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA

Mayor Magdaleno Peña of Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental said he urged National Democratic Front (NDF) spokesman Ka Frank Fernandez to order the New People’s Army (NPA) to stop its killing spree in Negros Island.

Peña was able to talk to Fernandez, convincing the latter to tell the NPA to stop staging attacks on the government.

The mayor said a lot of innocent people are caught up between the fight of the rebels and government forces.

He also told Fernandez: “For the sake of argument, a wrongful deed does not merit killing. You took up religion. You are a priest. The punishment should be commensurate with the deed.”

If the NPA killings won’t stop, the culture of violence would just continue, the mayor stressed.

Fernandez, for his part, said prominent families monopolizing land properties in Negros is the reason behind the rebellion./DGB, WDJ