Army claims rebel hit squad mission in Negros failed

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The New People’s Army’s (NPA) plan to liquidate former rebels and members of the government forces boomeranged on them, the Philippine Army claimed.

Major General Marion Sison, 3rd Infantry Division commander, said the NPA Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros (KR-N) deployed its “death squad” in Negros Island but was unsuccessful.

Known as the Special Partisan Unit (SPARU), the New People’s Army (NPA)’s urban hit squad prey on law enforcers, government officials, and government assets.

“May mga partisano sila na bumababa to liquidate or assassinate their targets. But what happened in Negros Occidental, they were the ones who got killed during the encounter. Six of them are dead,” he said.

Sison is referring to the six alleged NPA leaders, including two women, who were killed in a clash with members of the 47th Infantry Battalion on Sept. 21 at Barangay Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

“That’s a warning to them. We know who are these SPARU assassins na bababa. We know where to locate them because we have very good information not only coming from informants but civilians as well,” he said.

Sison has assured that Army troops all over the region have tightened the security and widened their intelligence monitoring to pre-empt attacks hatched by NPA rebels.