Army condemns rebels for killing two civilians

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – The Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) slammed the New People’s Army (NPA) for allegedly killing two civilians in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.

Over the weekend, Randy Rociana, 38, of Barangay Mahalang was brutally murdered by unidentified armed men believed to be NPA members at Sitio Asaran, Barangay Buenavista.

According to the Army, the victim, who was a farmer, succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds on the different parts of his body, after reportedly attacked by nine armed men using unknown firearms.

Police investigation indicated that before the shooting, armed men reportedly arrived at the victim’s house last Sunday and asked for the latter’s whereabouts.

Upon learning the victim’s whereabouts, the perpetrators went to the rice field where the killing happened, police said.

Last month, 49-year old Joelito Hilacio was also killed by alleged rebels while resting in his house in Barangay Carabalan, the Army said.

Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd IBde commander said the NPA are not supposed to kill anybody for whatever reason in such “barbaric manner.”

“I strongly condemn the murders of Randy Rociana and Joelito Hilacio, wherein such savagely cruel acts are proof that the NPA do not respect human rights and are indeed terrorists,” Pasaporte said.

He stressed that such heinous murders should be stopped now.