• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The killing of a civilian accused as a “military informant” in Brgy. Amontay, Binalbagan, was claimed by the New People’s Army, but at the same time they denied any involvement in the death of a barangay kagawad in Brgy. Puso, La Castellana, both in Negros Occidental.
In a statement, Ka JB Regalado, spokesman of the Leonardo Panaligan Command, reported that they were able to successfully carry out the imposition of the death penalty on a certain Ritoy Pedro at Sitio Cabalanti-an in Brgy. Amontay, Binalbagan, despite widespread combat operations of the Philippine Army in the area.
Investigations of the Binalbagan police indicated that the victim succumbed to gunshot wounds on the chest and neck.
Regalado accused Pedro of frequently serving as a guide in the joint operations of the police and 94th Infantry Battalion, in the boundaries of Binalbagan and Isabela, Negros Occidental, as well as Jimalalud and La Libertad in Negros Oriental.
Pedro was the 6th victim of summary executions carried out by the NPA in northern, central and southern Negros, since last month. The victims were all accused as military informants, based on press statements.
Regalado, however, denied insinuations that they were behind the killing of Kagawad Reynaldo Jacolbe on May 1 in Sitio Tayubong, Brgy. Puso, La Castellana.
The victim, according to initial police investigations, was on his way to his farm onboard his motorcycle, when he was shot by unidentified suspects who were hiding in a sugarcane field.
The victim, who managed to drive his motorcycle about 30 meters away from the area where he was waylaid, was shot again by the suspects to ensure his death, police investigations further showed.
Jacolbe, 49, serves as a kagawad of Brgy. Puso in La Castellana.
Recovered from the scene of the incident were fired cartridges of 9mm and caliber .45 pistols.
Regalado said they condemned the killing of Jacolbe.*
