• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
A suspected New People’s Army rebel, who recently died in an armed encounter in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental, was linked to the death of a civilian in the same barangay last year, according to Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.
Lt. Col. J Jay Javines, 3rd Infantry Division Civil Military Operations officer, identified the slain rebel as Marlo Catacio, alias Malot, a member of the Sangay Yunit Pampropaganda of the dismantled Central Negros 1 guerilla front.
Javines reported that Catacio was in the company of NPA hitmen identified as Jesus Molena, Rolando and Carmilito Juanitez, and Reynaldo Catacio, who were responsible for the killing of Benitez Juanitez, 28, who was accused as a military informant by the NPA in August 23 last year, in Sitio Inarawis, in Brgy. Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla.
The cadaver of Catacio was left behind by his five fleeing comrades, according to the military official.
The two encounters yielded a KG 9 automatic pistol, two rifle grenades, a caliber .38 revolver with ammunition, assorted medical paraphernalia, two bandoleers, 29 live ammunition, subversive documents with high intelligence value, and personal belongings.
In a statement, Maj. Gen. Marion Sison,3ID commander, reiterated his call for rebel remnants in Negros to surrender to avoid misfortune.
Grab this chance, while you still have time, for we are resolute in eliminating the remaining traces of communist terrorists, Sison said.*
