Suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) shot and killed two civilians in the mountainous Barangay Trinidad in Negros Oriental’s Guihulngan City close to midnight on Tuesday, April 18.

The victims were identified as 24-year-old Juven Patagatay Pasinabo, a resident of Barangay Trinidad; and 29-year-old Jinny Boy Rapol Tubias of Barangay Montelya; both of Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town.

Reports said the two victims were attending a fiesta celebration in the remote Sitio Cambairan, around 42 kilometers away from the city proper, when four armed men believed to be NPA members, arrived.

Two of the suspects approached Pasinabo, who was sitting in a chair, and shot him several times.

The suspects, according to witnesses, shouted in Cebuano, “NPA mi, hapa ang walay labot” (We are NPA, those who have nothing to do with this, duck!)

Pasinabo died on the spot due to multiple gunshot wounds.

Tubias, an employee of the Guihulngan local government unit, did not drop and rather gave instructions to the person in-charge of the sound system to shut it down.

The other two armed men dragged him to a dark area where he was shot and killed.

Guihulngan police chief, Lt. Colonel Romeo Cubo said the second victim was just collateral damage, while Pasinabo was previously arrested during massive police operations a few years back for illegal possession of firearms.

Cubo said they are still trying to determine the motive in the killing of Pasinabo. (PNA)