• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
As the New People’s Army claimed responsibility for the death of another civilian they tagged as an intelligence asset of the military, one of their leaders also died yesterday, following an encounter with Army soldiers in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.
2Lt. Mary Liza Joy De Guzman, 62nd Infantry Battalion acting Civil Military Operations chief, disclosed that the encounter lasted about five minutes, after which the rebels scampered in various directions, leaving behind their slain comrade at the encounter site.
Based on the testimonies of former rebels, De Guzman identified the slain rebel as Jose Albores Jr., alias Ka Jojo, a member of the Central Negros 1, also known as the Leonardo Panaligan Command.
Recovered from the encounter site were a KG9 automatic pistol, a hand grenade, as well as personal belongings.
De Guzman revealed that Albores is a known rebel leader who was among the heads of the NPA “Kangaroo Court” or its justice system within the boundaries of Moises Padilla, La Castellana, and Isabela in Negros Occidental, as well as Canlaon and Guihulngan cities in Negros Oriental.
Albores was among those responsible for the deaths of several civilians, including comrades they tagged as military informants.
The encounter ensued as 62IB soldiers, who were pursuing rebels behind the death of a civilian identified as Jorge Javier on April 16, in Sitio Guibawan, Brgy. Bucalan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
In a statement, Ka JB Regalado, spokesman of the Leonardo Panaligan Command, claimed that Javier served as an intelligence asset of the 62IB, and a member of the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN).
Being a military informant, Regalado accused Javier of serving as a military guide in various combat operations of the 62IB that resulted in the killing of Cristina Jacolbe, a day care worker, and her 16-year-old daughter, Everly Kee, and Rodan Montero in July last year at Sitio Banderahan in Guihulngan City; Victor Baldonado on November last year; and Ernesto Fat in January this year.
The rebel spokesman claimed that they recovered a .357 Magnum revolver, a KG 9 automatic pistol with ammunition, and a BIN identification card.
The death of Javier came a day after 62IB soldiers and policemen arrested Jerry Montefalcon, alias Ka Bulhot, in Brgy. Budlasan, Canlaon City, who has pending arrest warrants for the crime of murder as well as illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
The Leonardo Panaligan Command also claimed responsibility for the deaths of Arman Babor in Guihulngan City, and Danilo de Baja in Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.*
