Malabors linked to rebel threat vs Montilla supporters

From the Sun Star-Bacolod (Feb 13): Malabors linked to rebel threat vs Montilla supporters

The family of the late Fifth District Board Member Renato Malabor has been linked to the rebel threat against a village chief, who is a supporter of Isabela Mayor Enrique Montilla III.

The house of Mansablay village head Aurelio Tolero was ransacked by alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) on February 11. At least 60 men were believed to have arrived in the village.

This is not the first incident involving the NPA allegedly harassing barangay captains in the town.

The house of San Agustin barangay captain Agapito Euraoba was also ransacked by rebels on January 23. The incident was reported to the police only Friday.

Both village chiefs are supporters of Montilla, who is seeking reelection in the May 9 elections against the late board member’s brother, Vice Mayor Francis Malabor.

Tolero said he was told by his wife, who was in their house when the rebels came, that the group said they do not want Montilla to win in the elections.

He added that he does not want to accuse anybody, but has started to think deeply about what had happened.

Tolero said the number one council member of their village is the wife of Vice Mayor Malabor.

If anything happens to him, the vice mayor’s wife will take his place, he added.
Malabor could not be reached for a comment as of press time.

Tolero believed that the groups, who are after him, were not NPA rebels.

He cannot recall any wrongdoing for the NPA rebels to go after him, he said.

Tolero was on his way home when he learned that armed men entered his house, and decided to postpone going home.

He said his family members were traumatized by the incident, and they are considering seeking refuge in the Poblacion. He is also asking for protection from authorities.

For his part, Montilla is appealing for sobriety.

The mayor said he believes the army and the police are on top of the situation.

NPA not behind attack?

A day after the Mansablay incident, the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police sent augmentation forces to Isabela town.

Colonel Francisco Delfin, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia town, and Senior Superintendent William Señoron, officer-in-charge of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, doubted that the NPA can muster such number without being detected.

Delfin and Señoron, in separate interviews, said they cannot conclude that the attack was perpetrated by rebels as they are also looking at private armed groups as suspects.

Delfin said a platoon of soldiers has been deployed in Isabela town, adding that troopers are conducting pursuit operations against the armed men.

Señoron said a company of policemen was also assigned to the town.

Chief Inspector Anthony Grande, town police chief, said that 60 suspected rebels arrived in Barangay Mansablay. He initially said there were 80, based on earlier reports.

Grande said that 15 armed NPA ransacked Tolero’s house while 30 of them set up a blocking force.

Jail Officer 1 Christopher Venus, a personnel of Bureau of Jail Management and Penology of San Carlos City, who was on his way home to Barangay Cansalongon, was flagged down by the rebels and then took his .9 mm service firearm.

Grande said they are still investigating if the attacks on the houses of the two village chiefs were perpetrated by the same armed group.

Aside from the two incidents, there was also a strafing incident at Hacienda Bacan, Barangay Guintubhan on Wednesday, and the night before Tolero’s house was ransacked.

The police recovered 26 bullet shells of .9mm caliber pistol from the makeshift watchmen outpost in the farm being disputed by agrarian reform beneficiaries and the Malabors, Grande said.

Despite the series of incidents, Señoron said the town cannot be declared as an election watchlist area pending the police investigation.

Señoron said they are also looking at the possibility that there is a group that trying to create a scenario of violence so authorities will be pressured to declare the locality as an area of concern.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2016/02/13/malabors-linked-rebel-threat-vs-montilla-supporters-457075