CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City (DWDD) – Days after pursuing the perpetrators on Killing Mayor Dario Otaza and his son Daryl, troops under 23rd Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army encountered the NPA suspects at the outskirt of Sitio Afga, Lower Olave, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte at around 6:45 am today, October 23, 2015.
Information was received from the civilians in the area that the NPA group responsible for the said brutal killing are hiding inside their community. This prompted the troops to proceed in the area and check the veracity of the information. Upon reaching the area, the NPA indiscriminately fired upon the troops even at the stake of civilians present along the vicinity of the said barangay.
Troops outmanoeuvred the said NPA groups that pushed them to disengage. People saw these NPA carries and drags four (4) of their wounded comrades out of the engagement area. One soldier was also wounded during the first burst of indiscriminate fire from the NPA bandits. Recovered from the encounter site are NPA backpacks containing personal belongings and subversive documents with high intelligence value.
Col Alexander Macario, Commander of 401st Infantry Brigade said, “We thank the people for providing us timely information about the location of these NPA. They are already fed up with the NPA atrocities and exploitation. They are believed to be indignant of the brutal killing of Mayor Otaza.”
Meanwhile, cases of Robbery and Kidnapping with Murder were already filed before the Butuan City Prosecutor’s office against Rene Catarata, also known as Rene/ Dodong/ Hector Tindugan and eighteen (18) John Does.
Based from the affidavits of witnesses, they positively identified the suspects who according to them are members of NPA group in Caraga who are wearing NBI uniform. Identification was further supported by the cartographic sketch of the killers.
Rene Catarata is the Front Secretary of NPA Guerilla Front 34 under North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee and one of the responsible for series of Lumad killings, ambushcades, extortion, and illegal recruitment in Eastern Mindanao.
“There will be no let-up on our efforts to bring these suspects to the folds of law. We shall intensify our efforts to support the conduct of PNP’s Law Enforcement Operation.” Col Macario added. 4DPAO / MCAG
http://dwdd.com.ph/2015/hot-on-the-trail-troops-in-pursuit-encountered-the-suspected-npa-who-killed-mayor-otaza-and-son/
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