Nocppo urged to boost NPA killings probe

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD CITY – Police Brigadier General Jack Wanky, director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-6, directed the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) to thoroughly investigate the recent killings claimed by the New People’s Army (NPA) in the province.

“I have directed Police Colonel Rainerio de Chavez, Nocppo director, to enhance the conduct of the investigation,” Wanky said in a media interview after he spoke to Nocppo personnel during his third visit here yesterday.

Although the NPA reportedly owned up to the killings, Wanky said that it is just one angle that police should consider.

“This might just be their propaganda to show that they’re still relevant despite the series of military operations against them,” he added.

Wanky mentioned that this might also be the NPA’s propaganda to show that they could still retaliate or commit atrocities.

“Investigation will still push through,” Wanky said, urging Nocppo to look for other angles and not to easily jump to conclusions.

Since April, eight civilians tagged as military assets have been killed by NPA rebels in the towns of Calatrava, Binalbagan, La Castellana, and Moises Padilla, and the cities of Kabankalan and Sipalay. The last incident was reported on May 9 in La Castellana town.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) recently announced that they will also probe the series of NPA-related killings in the province.

The Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde) has denounced the said atrocities, expressing deep concern over the deaths of the civilians.