8th ID now hunting rebels who abducted, killed NPA returnee in Samar

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 8): 8th ID now hunting rebels who abducted, killed NPA returnee in Samar

The Catbalogan-based 8th Infantry Division on Monday announced that it is tracking down the rebels who abducted and killed an ex-New People's Army (NPA) fighter in Barangay Magdawat, Pinabacdao town, Samar last March 9.

Based on the reports of 52nd Infantry (CAFGU) Battalion commander Lt. Col. William P. Peñafiel Jr., victim Allan Rafales was abducted by his former comrades while watching a cockfight around 9 a.m.

His lifeless body was found around 5 p.m. of the same day.

Rafales surrendered to Peñafiel's men last Jan. 6, 2012.

He decided to quit the rebel movement as he wanted to start a peaceful and productive life with his family.

After receiving his benefits from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Peace Process of OPAPP, he was released from the custody of 52nd Infantry Battalion and went home to Sitio Canlobo, Pinabacdao, Samar purposely to cultivate a small lot as augmentation to support his family, until that fateful day when he was killed by the rebels.

Rafales' case is just one of the crimes against humanity that the NPA rebels have been doing for the past 45 years.

8th Infantry Division commander Major Gen. Jet B. Velarmino said: “For almost 45 years, many Filipinos have been victims of NPA operations. We enjoin everyone to condemn in strongest terms the violence and killings the rebels are perpetrating.

“The use of armed struggle to attain political ends is not acceptable to the Filipino people and has no place in a civilized and democratic society. It is a thing of the past as it will only bring misery and poverty among our people. Let us then give peace a chance and not resort to violence to attain political ends as the NPA is advocating,” he added.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=633242