2 killed, 3 injured in NPA attack

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Two members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army -Alex Bongcayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) were killed while three others were wounded in an attack staged by suspected New People’s Army Members at Barangay Locotan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental early Wednesday.

Killed were Jhoenel Marabebe and Florencio Vergara while the wounded were Jonathan Pagados, Ranel Banista, and a certain “Ruel.”

Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, said about 30 unidentified armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) attacked the settlement area of RPA-ABB, now known as Kapatiran para sa Progresibong Panlipunan Inc.

The area is part of the RPA-ABB’s institutionalized transformation. The group is a splinter bloc of the communist rebels that later forged a peace deal with the Philippine government.

The fire-fight lasted about 10 minutes, Arevalo said.

Police investigation indicated that Banista heard gunshots while he was sleeping at a nearby school at around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

He took cover but he was hit on his back.

Despite being wounded, he managed to crawl out of the building to escape.

Two of the wounded victims were brought to Bacolod City while the other is confined at Kabankalan City’s district hospital.