By Jennifer P. Rendon
Criminal charges have yet to be filed against members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who figured in an encounter with PNP troops on Feb. 12, 2020 in Janiuay, Iloilo.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) spokesperson, said investigators are still getting the statements of police officers who joined the clash to identify the suspects.
“It’s a tedious process. The suspects were only identified through their faces. We have to do a picture line-up to establish their identities,” she said.
The encounter was done in close range, that’s why “they could identify some of those who were involved in the encounter,” Malong said.
The Janiuay encounter claimed the life of a young police officer.
Police Captain Efren Espanto, the team leader of the Reconnaissance Company of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6, suffered a gunshot injury on his head during the encounter at Barangay Aglobong, a hinterland village some 25 kilometers away from Janiuay town proper in Iloilo.
The 29-year old Espanto led the team of the RMFB-6 Recon Company based in PD Monfort North, Dumangas, Iloilo City in conducting combat operation in the area.
Local police said the suspects are members of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon Panay – Central Front Committee led by Karl Teodosio alias Andoy/Obet.
CONTROL BY SOWING FEAR
Hours after the incident, the NPA’s Coronacion “Waling-Waling” Chiva Command hailed its troops for what they perceived as a successful offensive operation against Espanto’s team.
In another statement by the NPA’s Napoleon Tumagtang Jr. Command-Larangan Dose claimed that the “victorious tactical offensive is a reflection of revolutionary mass support.”
It also congratulated the Jose Percival Estocada Jr. Command.
But Malong laughed at the rebel statements.
“They are in control… control through fear,” she said.
Malong said the PNP, or the government for that matter, is far from losing grounds
“Their number is waning. We have made arrests on some of their members and also conducted anti-insurgency operations based on the information given by their own members who chose to abandon the armed struggle,” she said.
There might be rebel sightings in other parts of Panay but Malong said these are the same persons who had to cover areas because of their dwindling number.
