By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

A suspect involved in the Pamplona massacre, who was killed by law enforcement hours after the incident, was identified by the Special Joint Task Force-Negros (SJTF-Negros) yesterday morning.

SJTF-Negros spokesperson, Army Major Cenon Pancito III identified the suspect as Arnil Libradilla, a former New People’s Army member, and a resident of Negros Oriental’s Bindoy town.

According to Pancito, the information regarding Libradilla’s identity was provided to them by the other arrested suspects.

Libradilla was killed hours after the massacre on the evening of March 4.

The composite team was able to locate the suspect hiding in a sugar plantation.

Pancito said Libradilla opened fire against law enforcement personnel after he sensed that the authorities already knew where he was hiding exactly.

The blood splatters are still present at the hiding site where he was killed more than a week ago.

Also on that day, authorities managed to arrest three other suspects in the massacre.

They are identified as Joric Labrador, Joven Javier and Benjie Rodriguez.

Other suspects, Osmundo Rivero and Rickyvelle Luces were arrested the following day, March 5.

The four suspects were former soldiers of the Philippine Army, while Luces was formerly a member of the Philippine Marines.

Labrador, Javier, Rodriguez, and Rivero have since turned state witnesses.

They are facing charges of multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms./DGB, WDJ