By: Jennifer P. Rendon
A member of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army – Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) was wounded in a shooting incident afternoon of Jan. 12. 2020.
The incident happened as five RPA-ABB members “secured” a community dance (binayle) in a far-flung village of San Joaquin, Iloilo.
Police Staff Sergeant Hector Sandig, Jr., San Joaquin police investigator, said the five RPA-ABB members were walking at Barangay Camia, a hinterland village some 20 kilometers from San Joaquin town, when they were fired upon.
The incident injured Ramie Cataluña, 34, a resident of Barangay Danao, Janiuay, Iloilo. He was hit on the left leg and was taken to San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital.
Sandig said the victims believed that the suspects are members of the New People’s Army (NPA) led by Joven Ceralvo.
The suspects allegedly positioned themselves 500 meters from where the victims were shot.
“Maybe, they just wanted to harass the victims because they did not engage them at a closer distance,” Sandig said.
He confirmed that the RPA-ABB members, who were also armed, managed to retaliate.
POTENTIAL THREAT
The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division said that the attack came as no surprise since the RPA-ABB would always be a potential target to the NPA.
“Government organizations, like the AFP and the PNP, and those that allied with us would be vulnerable to attacks,” Captain Cenon Pancito III, 3rd ID spokesman, said.
Late last year, 727 members of Kapatiran para sa Progresibong Panlipunan, Inc (Kapatiran), also known as Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade-Tabara Paduano Group (RPM-P/RPA/ABB/TPG or the RPA-ABB, were decommissioned.
The event also saw the demilitarization of 337 firearms.
The Kapatiran Is a SEC-registered entity, established in 2013 in line with the mainstreaming of the rejectionist group of the CPP-NPA called RPM-P/RPA/ABB-TPG.
Even earlier, Kapatiran members feared that they would be an easy target of assassination by the NPA.
“That’s why, some of themselves were armed to protect themselves against attacks,” Pancito said.
But in any case, Pancito said they would be fully supportive of the RPA-ABB in its pursuit for peace.
