Prayer rally held for slain victims of La Castellana ambush

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 30): Prayer rally held for slain victims of La Castellana ambush

A prayer rally was held Tuesday in Barangay Cabacungan, La Castellana, Negros Occidental as tribute to the nine fatalities in the ambush early Sunday morning believed perpetrated by members of the New People’s Army.

The prayer rally was attended by residents particularly families of the victims and military personnel led by 303rd Infantry Brigade commander Col. Oscar Lactao. Local officials of La Castellana led by Mayor Albert Nicor and officials of Barangay Cabacungan and Barangay Puso also joined the prayer rally.
A mass was also held for the victims of rebel atrocities after which Mayor Nicor expressed his sorrow for the untimely demise of the victims and hope that this gruesome incident will not happen again. The families of the victims cried for justice for their kin who were indiscriminately sprayed with bullets, with rebels not even sparing innocent minors and civilians. They strongly condemned the rebels who perpetrated the gruesome crime.  Despite the fear gripping the two hinterland barangays the days following the bloodbath, anxious residents hope the terror-filled atmosphere will fade away so that they could go back to normal life. Col. Lactao, however, observed that the tense situation has somehow stabilized in the two adjoining barangays days after the grisly incident where a police officer and eight civilians mostly members of the Barangay Peace-keeping Action Team were killed and 12 others including two police officers and four minors were wounded. He said the Armed Forces of the Philippines will extend a helping hand particularly financial assistance to the bereaved families of the slain victims. The military authorities also making validation relative to the information on the suspected lairs where the rebel perpetrators are holed. Earlier, C/Supt. Agrimero Cruz, regional director of the Police Regional Office 6 based in Camp Delgado here ordered the creation of Task Force La Castellana headed by Negros Occidental provincial director S/Supt. Celestino Guara to investigate the incident and track down the suspects.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=492608