By CESAR JOLITO III

Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a 30-year-old laborer at Barangay San Isidro in Negros Occidental’s Toboso town on Wednesday night, January 7, as the New People’s Army (NPA) later claimed responsibility for the killing, identifying the victim as an alleged “traitor to the revolution.”

Toboso police reported the incident occurred at around 7:00 p.m. when about seven unidentified armed men wearing bonnets allegedly arrived at the victim’s residence in Sitio Mansiguibo.

The suspects reportedly brought the victim about 20 meters away from his house and shot him with an unknown caliber of firearm, hitting several parts of his body.

The victim was pronounced dead on arrival at Vicente Gustilo District Hospital in Escalante City.

Police said the suspects fled toward the mountainous area of Barangay Bandila in Toboso after the shooting.

A manhunt operation and follow-up investigation were immediately launched.

The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command – Northern Negros Guerrilla Front issued a statement yesterday claiming that its forces carried out what it described as a revolutionary punishment against Ramil Ramos, also known as “Maggie.”

According to the NPA statement, Ramos was accused of being an alleged “traitor to the revolution” and of actively guiding operations of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

The group further alleged that Ramos engaged in buying agricultural products such as coconuts and avocados from farmers without paying for them.

They had reportedly claimed the victim was unafraid of the NPA.

The remnants said the killing was meant as a warning to other alleged collaborators and named several individuals it accused of similar activities./CJ, WDJ