Rebels sued for Army corporal’s killing

By Jennifer P. Rendon

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division declared that it would pursue criminal charges against members of the New People’s Army (NPA) relative to the killing of an Army corporal on August 11, 2021 in Tapaz, Capiz.

Major Cenon Pancito III, 3rd ID spokesperson, said that the wife of Corporal Frederick Villasis would stand as complainant against the suspects.

But Villasis’ wife, Shella, had asked the Tapaz Police Station that she would take care of the legal matters after her husband’s burial.

Villasis’ body was first brought to his hometown Jamindan, Capiz. Another wake is scheduled at his and her wife’s place in Mambusao town.

From the looks of it, Pancito said that charges would be filed against members of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon Panay (KR-P) and its umbrella unit, the Central Front.

“We have reason to believe that it’s an act perpetrated by both the Central Front and the NPA’s Sentro De Gabidad (SDG),” he said.

Most probably, they would file murder charges owing to the fact the lack of jurisprudence of Republic Act No. 11479 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020.

It can be noted that Villasis was on a mission to follow up on peace and development initiatives in Barangay Lahug when NPA members waylaid him at the hinterland village of Lahug.

He was flagged down while on board a motorcycle with a woman backrider – later identified as Barangay Kagawad Analyn Giganto.

Incidentally, Analyn was wife of Roy Giganto, one of the nine persons killed during a police operation in several Tapaz villages on Dec. 30, 2020.

Villasis was abducted and later found dead.

Analyn said he pleaded for the NPA rebels not to physically hurt the soldier. She was allegedly assured that they would only investigate him.

But Analyn said that the NPAs betrayed them.

The 301st Infantry Brigade said that Villasis, a member of the 12th Infantry Battalion, was killed execution-style: his hands were tied behind his back and he was repeatedly shot from behind.

His motorcycle was also partially burned and left near his body.