NPA, drug links eyed in ex-kagawad’s slay

From the Visayan Daily Star (Sep 29): NPA, drug links eyed in ex-kagawad’s slay

The Philippine National Police is considering several possible angles, such as illegal drug activities and alleged involvement of the New People’s Army in the death of a former councilman Elmer Cabayaof Barangay Panciao, Manjuyod, who was shot Monday in adjacent Bindoy town, Negros Oriental.

A police progress report from the Bindoy police station forwarded yesterday by Supt. Kat Ramos of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office, disclosed that the police have received various information that could possibly be linked to the death Cabaya.

While the Bindoy police station is verifying different reports on Cabaya’s activities before his death, the police report said “there is a strong indication that it (the shooting) was perpetrated by the members of the NPA, after (the) said victim received several death threats from the group through text messages”.

Cabaya was shot dead in Sitio Bayog, Barangay Cabcaban – a mountainous barangay about 33 kilometers from the town proper of Bindoy, the report said.

The victim was a livestock buyer/seller and a former kagawad, or councilor, of Barangay Panciao, Manjuyod.

Cabaya was driving his motorcycle with backriders Peter Cabaya Gordon and Anecito Acebes, from SitioAbaka, Barangay Nalundan in Bindoy, where they sold livestock in the regular “tabo” or market day, when the suspects opened fire at them.

Gordon and Acebes told investigators that after they fell off the motorcycle, they stood up and tried to help the bloodied Cabaya.

Police ruled out robbery after finding out that the PHP3,000 cash of Cabaya, that he received from the sale of a cattle, was intact.

Police investigators are also looking into other reports that the victim was an alleged former NPA supporter who later became a military informant, and his reported involvement in the shooting to death of Panciao barangay chairman Mario Gonzales over a family grudge.

Gonzales was shot dead several weeks ago by suspected NPA members who allegedly warned him against seeking re-election, as the rebel group wanted to field its own candidate, the Manjuyod police said.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2018/September/29/topstory7.htm