Alleged rebel slain in Moises Padilla clash

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – A suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in an encounter with military troopers at Sitio Arum, Barangay Macagahay, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental last Thursday.

The Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) identified the fatality as Rio Jacaba, an alleged member of the Yunit Militia of the NPA in Central Negros.

The Army reported yesterday that troopers of the 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) clashed with suspected NPA fighters when they responded to a report from concerned citizens regarding the alleged presence of suspicious-looking persons in the area.

The soldiers encountered about three rebels and some members of their Yunit Militia, which resulted in the death of Jacaba, whose body was reportedly left by his companions during their escape, the Army said.

The firefight also resulted in the recovery of a .45 Colt MK IV pistol, a holster, spent cartridges of .45 caliber ammunition, and subversive documents believed to be used during the conduct of “mass works” in the area, the Army said.

Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd IBde commander, in a statement, thanked the people of Barangay Macagahay for their vigilance, as he assured them that the NPA’s intimidation and extortion activities are halted.

“With the Moises Padilla Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MPTF-ELCAC), we will unify and harmonize the peace and development efforts especially with the different stakeholders to end the local communist armed conflict in the municipality,” Pasaporte said.

In a statement sent to the media yesterday, the Leonardo Panaligan Command (LPC) of the NPA condemned the brutal killing of Jacaba, a farmer in the said village.

Ka JB Regalado, LPC-NPC spokesperson, said “this vicious retaliation on civilians are cowardly acts of the mercenary troops following their frustration and failure to chase the NPA.”