Slain soldier’s belongings seized from rebel ‘hideout’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – The Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) seized various war materials and some personal belongings of a slain soldier from a purported rebel hideout at Sitio Ilihan, Barangay Buenavista, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental last Wednesday.

The seizure was the result of a follow-up operation by the military which stemmed from the revelations of Adidas Acero, an alleged vice commanding officer of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) Leonardo Panaligan Command (LPC).

Acero and his wife were arrested on Sept 19 at Barangay Buenavista for illegal possession of explosives, firearm, and ammunition.

Military troopers seized from the area 200 rounds live AK47 rifle ammunition, a one-meter detonating cord with firing device buried in the alleged hideout, subversive documents, personal documents of the late Army Corporal Mark Anthony Quiocson including his identification cards, two passbooks, and a motorcycle.

Quiocson was a member of the 62nd IB’s Community Support Program Team who was killed in an ambush allegedly staged by the NPA’s Special Partisan Unit at Sitio Compound, Barangay Luz in the said city last July 2020.

His personal belongings were reported missing by his colleagues when the attack happened.

In a statement, Major General Eric Vinoya, commander of 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said  the discovery of the NPA’s buried war materials and Quiocson’s stolen belongings is a big help for the authorities in identifying the responsible individuals behind his murder.

“Aside from pinpointing the perpetrators, this will likewise help us in filing additional charges against the murderers,” Vinoya said.