A BARANGAY chairman who was a former New People’s Army member was shot dead by his former comrades Tuesday in Agusan del Sur.
Joselito Rodrigo, of sitio Kidihay, barangay Limot in Veruela town, was shot just after attending a meeting of barangay chiefs in barangay Poblacion, also in Veruela town, at around 5 p.m.
Rodrigo was on his way home aboard a motorcycle, with Cherry Lou Noos, barangay secretary, as passenger, when some 20 men blocked the road Purok 1, sitio Mahaba, in barangay Del Monte.
The rebels ordered Noos to alight and started to shoot Rodrigo, hitting him in different parts of the body. The rebels fled on foot, leaving Noos unharmed.
In Kalinga also Tuesday, government forces seized four high-powered firearms from the NPA.
Kalinga is among at least 30 provinces cleared by government forces of the communists. The military declared the province insurgency-free in 2011.
Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, chief of the military’s 1st Civil Relations Group, said a province declared as insurgency-free does not necessarily mean there is no rebel presence. He said it just means that the rebels have no capacity to cause serious problems.
On the seized firearms, Garcia said the M16 rifle, Garand rifle, Carbine rifle, and a Springfield rifle were unearthed in barangay Magnao in Tabuk town.
He said burying of firearms “is a manifestation their strength continues to dwindle.”
“They (NPA) are burying their firearms because they lack people to carry them (firearms),” he said.
Garcia said troops the 17th Infantry Battalion and militiamen proceeded to the area after persistent reports that NPA rebels buried something in the area a few months ago
In Agusan del Sur yesterday, forces from the 29th Infantry Battalion recovered an AK47 rifle, an improvised explosive device, and three backpacks with personal belongings and documents following a firefight with NPA rebels in barangay Tagmamarkay in Tubay town around 8:45 a.m.
1Lt. Joe Patrick Martinez, chief of the 42nd Civil Military Operations Company, said the soldiers were deployed to the barangay after residents reported rebel presence in the area.
Martinez said about 20 rebels opened fire at the troops while approaching the rebel position. The troops maneuvered and instructed civilians to leave the area.
He said the rebels withdrew after a 20-minute firefight.
He said the rebels sustained casualties as evidenced by bloodstains in area where the insurgents positioned themselves.
http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/npas-kill-barangay-chief-and-ex-comrade-agusan-del-sur
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