NPA leader’s death seen to weaken Panay unit

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 believes that the death of the highest-ranking leader of the New People’s Army in Panay will further weaken the rebel group.

Brig. Gen. Josefino Ligan, Western Visayas police chief, said that Roberto Cabales’ death is another big blow to the already undermined communist terrorist group.

Cabales, who reportedly took over as secretary of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon–Panay, and a certain Badong were killed following a joint police and military operation early evening of Oct. 5 in Barangay Coto, Lambunao, Iloilo.

“They could appoint another leader but Cabales’ death will be a big loss to their already dwindling organization,” Ligan said.

Meanwhile, the region’s top cop asserted that what happened was a legitimate encounter.

“Our operatives have body-worn cameras to establish the legitimacy of the operation,” he said.

It was the slain suspects who allegedly fired first at the arresting officers.

According to police reports, the two slain rebels put up a fight when police served the arrest warrant against Cabales, who went by the aliases Ted, William, and Lloyd, while he was hiding in Coto, a village more than two kilometers from the town proper.

They were rushed to Dr. Ricardo Ladrido Memorial Hospital in Lambunao but did not pull through.

Members of the Iloilo Police Provincial Office–Provincial Intelligence Unit, together with operatives from the Lambunao Municipal Police Station and Passi City Police Station and soldiers from the 82nd and 61st Infantry Battalions, were to serve the arrest warrants against Cabales for rebellion docketed under Criminal Case Nos. CC-22-1283 and CC-12-1253-06.

Judge Daniel Antonio Gerardo Amular of the 6th Regional Trial Court Branch 21 in Mambusao, Capiz, issued the arrest warrants.

Cabales’ arrest carried a reward of PHP 3.1 million.