Ex-tanod shot dead by suspected NPA rebels

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Police are looking into the possibility that a former member of the Barangay PeaceKeeping Action Team (BPAT), who was killed in La Castellana, Negros Occidental last Sunday, was mistaken as an informant of the Philippine Army.

Police Captain Rhojn Darell Nigos, La Castellana town police chief, said that Jovanie Omboy, 43, of Barangay Montilla, Moises Padilla town, was shot by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Puso.

Nigos said that Omboy and his live-in partner were walking on their way home when 10 unidentified armed persons waylaid them and asked the victim’s partner if he was a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (Cafgu).

The victim managed to run, but the suspects chased and shot him.

The armed persons then fled on foot, leaving the victim’s partner unharmed.

Police recovered from the scene fired bullets of .45 caliber, and .9mm ammunition.

Nigos said the victim was mistaken as an informant since he would usually go to the Cafgu detachment in Moises Padilla town.

“Didto na siya pirmi ga tambay sa detachment, amo na nasal-an siguro,” he added.

Aside from looking into the incident as insurgency-related, Nigos said that they are also eyeing grudges and work-related as possible motives.

Nigos said the victim was previously arrested for illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition in Moises Padilla town. But he was released after he posted bail.