By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed in a clash with the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion (IB) at Sitio Lower Tiyos, Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental yesterday.
The Army, through the help of former NPA rebels, identified the fatality as Jose Albores Jr. alias “Jojo,” an alleged member of Central Negros 1 (CN1) under Leonardo Panaligan Command (LPC)-NPA.
Military troopers launched operations against the NPA in response to the information given by the civilians, according to the Army.
At least five unidentified armed persons were encountered by the soldiers during the five-minute firefight.
Recovered by soldiers from the encounter site were a KG9, a hand grenade, subversive documents, and some personal belongings.
According to the Army, former NPA rebels and civilians revealed that the slain rebel was one of the allegedly known local NPA leaders that headed “Kangaroo Court.”
The said court refers to the NPA’s justice system in the boundaries of Moises Padilla, La Castellana, and Isabela in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City and Guihulngan City in Negros Oriental, the Army said.
The Army said that they are responsible for the alleged killing of civilians even their own members who were tagged as an asset of government authorities or those who do not want to support the armed group.
Four insurgency-related incidents were reported in Moises Padilla town this year, with the recent incident on April 9 killing a farmer.
In a statement, the LPC-NPA condemned the death of Albores, whom they claimed to be brutally murdered in his house.
Ka JB Regalado, LPC-NPA spokesperson, said that there’s no presence of NPA in the area, but troopers of 62nd IB are conducting operations in the said barangay and neighboring areas.
The rebel group also slammed the Army for the encounter that allegedly killed Albores.
The group alleged that Albores was preparing the products he was supposed to sell when his house was strafed.
Despite this, the 62nd IB vowed to hunt all the remaining NPA rebels who are targeting innocent and unarmed civilians in central Negros.
