• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A suspected New People’s Army rebel, who was killed in an armed encounter with Army soldiers on May 21, has been linked to series of liquidations of innocent civilians, accused as military informants, which were perpetrated and claimed by his comrades in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.
The slain rebel, who was identified by the Philippine Army as Richard de la Peña, alias Rocky, is allegedly involved in various crimes and human rights violations, specifically the murder of Albert Navaro Goles alias Tongkay, who was killed on April 24 in Sitio Coyaoyao, Brgy. Inolingan, Moises Padilla, according to a statement issued by the 62nd Infantry Battalion.
The NPA Leonardo Panaligan Command, through its spokesman, Ka JB Regalado, earlier claimed responsibility for the killing of Goles, whom they accused as a military informant of 62IB.
The cadaver of dela Peña was left behind by his fleeing comrades, who figured in two successive armed encounters with 62IB soldiers in Sitios Inangaw and Saksak, all in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, on Tuesday.
Army soldiers also recovered an M16 assault rifle with two bandoleers containing three magazines of ammunition, a caliber .357 revolver and a backpack containing subversive documents.
His cadaver is yet to be claimed by his family, according to 1Lt. Mary Liza Joy De Guzman, 62IB Civil Military Operations officer.*
