• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Members of a group of New People’s Army rebels who were encountered and killed by Army soldiers on September 21 in Sitio Lubi, Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, were tagged as those behind the summary execution of two Army soldiers and a civilian in Sipalay City and Ilog, respectively, in 2022.
This was bolstered with the recovery of a .45 caliber pistol owned by the late Sgt. Regie Glindro, one of the two Army soldiers waylaid and summarily executed by rebels in Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City, on November 24, 2022. It was among the guns recovered by soldiers from six NPA rebels killed in an encounter on Thursday night last week in Sitio Lubi, Brgy. Tabugon, Kabankalan City, according to a statement issued by the Army’3rd Infantry Division.
Justice now appears closer at hand for the fallen Army personnel, as those responsible for their murders have paid for their crimes in an armed engagement with the Army troops, Lt. Col. J Jay Javines, Civil Military Operations officer of the 3rd Infantry Division, said.
Javines added that the same group of rebels was also responsible for killing of 65-year-old Silas Granada in Brgy Pingot, Ilog, in January this year, shooting the victim in the head several times.
In previous months The NPA Armando Sumayang Jr. Command of the NPA had issued separate statements claiming responsibility for the deaths of Granada, and Army Sgts. Regie Glindro and SSgt. Ken Camilan, in Ilog and Sipalay City, respectively.
Maj. Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd Infantry Division commander, disclosed that the death of six rebels in Negros Occidental encounter is not only a big blow to the New People’s Army that brings them closer to becoming inconsequential, but most importantly, “this is justice being served to the victims of their willful killings.”*
