NPA leader linked to cops’ ambush-slay in NegOr slain

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A man believed to be a high-ranking official of the New People’s Army (NPA) and allegedly had a hand in the ambush of four police officers in Negros Oriental was slain by police and military at Barangay Dancalan, Ilog, Negros Occidental on Monday.

Killed was Mitchel Fat, 27, a native of Moises Padilla town, whom, according to the police, went hiding in the area for almost a year now.

Police Captain Joeil Reclamado, Moises Padilla police chief, said Fat had three standing warrants for violation of Republic Act 9851 (Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity) issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 75 in Bais City, Negros Oriental.

“Joint operatives of the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU)-7, the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (IB), and Ilog Municipal Police Station were supposed to serve the warrants when Fat allegedly shot the operatives upon sensing them from afar, prompting the latter to retaliate,” Reclamado said.

Fat suffered gunshot wounds on different parts of his body, and was declared dead at a hospital.

Authorities recovered from the scene a .45-caliber pistol with a magazine and four live ammunitions, two ammunition casings, a hammock, a bag, a holster, a handheld radio, a cellular phone, two boxes of acupuncture needles, and subversive documents.

Meanwhile, Major Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said Fat was a squad leader of Central Negros (CN)2, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor (KR-NCBS), and a known high-value individual of CN2.

Pancito said Fat was the leader of the group behind the ambush-slay of four policemen in Ayungon, Negros Oriental in July 2019.