Village chief facing probe for NegOr ambush – slay kills self

By: Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – A village chief of Mabato in Ayungon, Negros Oriental allegedly committed suicide at Barangay Awa-an, four days after the deadly “ambush” by the New People’s Army (NPA) on four policemen last July 18, 2019.

Police Colonel Raul Tacaca, director of Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (Norppo), identified the fatality as village chief Sunny Caldera, 51.

Tacaca said Caldera was found by the road side Monday. He was vomiting after allegedly ingesting pesticide.

Recovered from the scene was a pesticide bottle.

Caldera was brought to Bindoy District Hospital, and was referred to Siliman Medical Center, where he expired around 11 a.m. the following day.

Tacaca said they have yet to talk to Caldera’s family but he learned that the victim had previous suicide attempts.

“We don’t know yet what triggered him to commit it or if it has something to do with the investigation he underwent regarding the ambush incident in his village,” he added.

Caldera was investigated following the NPA attack on four intelligence police operatives of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RMFB)-7 at Sitio Yamot in the said village last Thursday.

Killed in the ambush were Police Corporal Relebert Beronio, and Patrolmen Raffy Callao, Roel Cabellon, and Marquino de Leon.

Tacaca said that one of the four slain police officers was able to talk to him, prior to the ambush.

Tacaca said Caldera was allegedly informed about the policemen’s plan of verifying the alleged presence of armed men in the area.

It even made the authorities wonder why he did not warn the cops before proceeding to the area.

However, Tacaca said everything were mere allegations and will be investigated.