By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A former New People’s Army (NPA) rebel recently surfaced and accused the current Moises Padilla mayor and vice mayor links to the insurgency. The accuser, former Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) chairman and Moises Padilla resident, 53-year-old Noli Garinggo, is currently on the rebel group’s hitlist.
Garinggo, who was accompanied by his lawyer filed an affidavit in Bacolod City as well as submitting it to the Negros Occidental Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) at Camp Alfredo Montelibano, Sr. in the city’s Barangay Estefania.
Based on his sworn affidavit, he served with the KMP and NPA from 1982 until last May, when he was disarmed and sentenced to death by the insurgent group.
According to Garinggo, in February 2016, his group called a meeting at the home of a certain “Neneng Timbad” in the town’s Barangay Guinpanaan. Upon entering the house, he claimed he saw Moises Padilla Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo and Vice Mayor Ian Villaflor, along with several other KMP district members from central and southern Negros.
He claimed, instead of discussing plans for a protest rally, the meeting centered on NPA “datos,” or those identified for liquidation.
When he reviewed documents from the meeting, Garinggo claimed he saw the name of “Nonong Grande” on the NPA hitlist for allegedly blocking private roads and disallowing people from passing unless they join him in his cause and/or support his political candidates in the 2016 national elections. He later found out the reason why Garcia-Yulo allegedly added Garinggo to the list was because he reported to the names of her close associates and employees, who are reportedly involved in the town’s illegal drug activities.
He said the list was later approved by NPA-Leonardo Panaligan Command spokesperson, Ka JB Regalado, who instructed members of the NPA Special Partisan Unit to carry out Grande’s murder.
The accuser further claimed he also saw the names of Joerito Amable, Rusty Caminade, and Town Councilor Jolomar Hilario on the said list, all of whom later murdered in separate incidents.
In 2018, Garinggo said he was forced into hiding after he separated from his wife, who made false accusations against him before the NPA, until he later learned that he, along with fellow rebel Jerry Turga, were sentenced to death.
After reportedly opposing kill orders, Turga was later shot to death by the rebels.
Garinggo said he decided to come forward because he pitied the families of those killed, especially Grande’s family. He also claimed his fellowship with the NPA only caused trouble for him and his family.
Aside from Garcia-Yulo and Villaflor, Garinggo also linked Grego Herrera; Jimmy Don Plaza; Magno Flores; Moreto Flores and his wife, Ma. Luisita Garinggo, with the murders.
Meanwhile, it was also clarified that the murder complaint filed against Garcia-Yulo and Villaflor based on earlier affidavits filed by Jully Opiar and Robert Sualog were only dismissed on the prosecutorial level and can be refiled.
Both Garcia-Yulo and Villaflor have earlier denied the allegations of having links with the insurgent group./DGB, WDJ