BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Six suspected members of the New People’s Army shot and killed a civilian, in front of his wife and brother, in Sitio Santa Ana, Brgy. Mabini, Escalante City, Negros Occidental on Saturday.
The victim, who was identified by the Escalante City police, as Letecio Cordova, sustained gunshot wounds in the head and stomach, and died on the spot.
Initial police investigations showed that Cordova, 45, his wife, Julie, 55, and brother, Eustequio, were having dinner in their residence, when six armed men arrived Saturday evening, and called out his name.
When Cordova came out of the house, he was shot by one of the armed men in the stomach, without any provocation, and then in the head, to ensure his death, Lt. Col. Gil John Despi, Escalante City police chief, said in his report to the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office.
Two empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol were recovered at the crime scene.
The armed men introduced themselves as NPA members in the Cebuano dialect, and fled towards the mountainous area of Sitio Cristobal, Brgy. Mabini in Escalante City, the police added. The NPA rebels had also claimed responsibility for the killing of barangay tanod Elmer Ortencio, whom they accused to be military agent, in Brgy. Consing, EB Magalona, Negros Occidental on April 13.*
