By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) said the slain members of the alleged New People’s Army (NPA) squad in Negros Occidental’s Kabankalan City were involved in several atrocities in southern Negros.
Lt. Colonel J-jay Javines, 3ID spokesperson, said the alleged NPA members, killed in an encounter on Thursday night, September 21, were part of the Sandatahang Yunit Propaganda Platoon of the South-Western Front.
Javines said the squad was responsible for the murder of Pastor Lonie Lahaolahao in Sipalay City’s Barangay Camindangan in February 2020.
They were also behind the ambush of two Philippine Army personnel in Cauayan town’s Barangay Yaoyao in April 2021, and in Sipalay’s Barangay Camindangan in November 2022.
Javines said a .45 caliber pistol, recovered from the armed group after the encounter, matched the service firearm of an Army personnel killed in the ambush in Sipalay.
He added that the squad members were also the primary suspects in two arson attacks on construction equipment in Barangay Camindangan and Kabankalan’s Barangay Orong in March 2022.
The group was also linked to the murder of 65-year-old Silas Granada in Ilog town’s Barangay Pingot earlier this year due to a land dispute.
Javines said the sixth fatality in the recent encounter was identified as 18-year-old Jonesa Ramona, a resident of Himamaylan City’s Barangay Buenavista.
They are just waiting for the remains to be claimed by their families.
In a statement, the Philippine Army’s 302nd Infantry Brigade commander, Brigadier General Joey Escanillas, said the squad opened fire at the Army first, which prompted the military to respond defensively.
The gun battle lasted for at least five to 10 minutes.
The Commission on Human Rights said they will conduct an investigation into the encounter after the wife of Ruben Gaitan, a tricycle driver killed in the encounter, claimed that he was not a member of the NPA, and after a report from the coroner revealed that one of the alleged rebels was five months pregnant./DGB, WDJ