Barangay official express dismay over insurgency

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – We are discouraged.

This was the reaction of Kagawad Remegio Tuazon following the brutal killing of a couple and their two minor-sons in Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental last week.

In a press briefing at Nature’s Village in Talisay City yesterday, Tuazon said that as a barangay official, it is very discouraging and pressure on their part that such an incident happened amid the many problems of the barangay.

“Dako discourage sa natabo. Before sini, may mga encounters na natabo. May ara man ginapamatay, pero ini nga insidente, wala may nag aku,” he said.

Tuazon said they have difficulty providing services to the people, and this incident even happened amid the challenges they are facing.

“Sa services sang tawo, indi na kami kasarang, dugangan pa sini na problem na daw indi ma-intsindihan,” he added.

He appealed to the local officials to give justice to the death of his constituents.

“Tani matapos na ini,” he said, as he appealed for the continued improvement and projects for the community.

On June 14, the Fausto family – Emilda, 49, her husband Rolly, 52, and their two sons aged 11 and 15 were shot dead at their residence in Sitio Kangkiling, Barangay Buenavista.

Police Colonel Leo Pamittan, director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), yesterday said that the group of a certain Fernando Hermino was responsible behind the said killing, citing the sworn affidavit of a witness.

Police earlier said that 15 perpetrators, who are alleged members of Central Negros 2 of the New People’s Army (NPA), were behind the massacre of the family.

Hermino, who is the alleged squad leader of CN 2, and his group is also tagged in the three killings of civilians in the city this year, according to Police Lieutenant Colonel Reynante Jomocan, city police chief.

Jomocan said that the NPA has reportedly sanctioned the Fausto family after they learned that Rolly was helping the government in encouraging NPA rebels to surrender.

The NPA has earlier denied participation in the incident, accusing the local Army for the said incident. But, the Army has also denied the said allegation.

Meanwhile, Pamittan said the provincial police office is doing its best to probe all angles and all possibilities surrounding the case of the Fausto family.

“We have never been discouraged by unfounded accusations,” he added.

Pamittan said that Nocppo is waiting for the results of the ballistic examination, post-mortem examination, the Scene of the Crime Operative (Soco) report, and other documents necessary and vital to the filing of a case.

He said the immediate family of the victims is asking for ample time to have a dialogue with their relatives about whether to execute an affidavit and file a case against Hermino and other NPA members under his command.

For his part, Mayor Raymund Tongson said that at the end of the day, they just wanted peace and development in the city.

Amid the challenges along the way, Tongson said the local government is doing its best to reach and provide the necessary community projects to the people, particularly in the hinterlands of the city.