By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD CITY – The New People’s Army (NPA) claimed responsibility for the killing of a forest protection officer a day before her 48th birthday in Sitio Taytay 3, Barangay Carabalan, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental, on Thursday night.
Police identified the victim as Armie Tuparan, 47, a resident of the same village.
Police Lt. Col. Anthony Grande, Himamaylan police chief, said the victim had visited her adopted son when five unidentified armed individuals arrived at around 10:40 p.m.
Two of the assailants took the victim’s adopted son to the kitchen, while the other three held and dragged Tuparan outside the house.
Gunshots were heard shortly after, and the suspects fled without harming the victim’s son.
Grande said Tuparan sustained two gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Authorities recovered four spent shells of a .45 caliber and M16 firearms at the scene.
In a statement released on Friday, Nov. 15, the Romeo Nanta Command-NPA (RNC-NPA) admitted to the attack, accusing Tuparan of being an intelligence asset for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Grande said police will investigate the rebel group’s claims and coordinate with the Army regarding the incident.
