NPA kills captive Mangyan tribe leader in Mindoro

From GMA News (Apr 15, 2019): NPA kills captive Mangyan tribe leader in Mindoro

New People's Army guerillas allegedly executed a Hanunuo Mangyan tribe leader five days after the victim was abducted by the group.

Authorities identified the victim as Jose Barrera, 47, a resident of Sitio Liberty, Barangay Naibuan, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

San Jose Municipal Police Station reported that the NPA seized Barrera on April 7 from his home.

Boy Barrera, an ex-NPA member and brother of Jose, positively identified his brother's captors as Miguel Magbata alias Ka Mikoy, Lena Gumpad Alias Ka Aira, Tata Malucon, and Mervin Malucon, and five other members.

A certain Marso Canaway found last Friday (April 12) Jose Barrera's body near Tumalo River in Barangay Naibuan, with a gunshot wound in his left chest.

Boy Barrera claimed that Jose was abducted and executed for refusing to support candidates the NPA is endorsing, and for rejecting NPA's invitation to rejoin the group.

Regional Intelligence Division (RID) and 4th Infantry Battalion (IB) Philippine Army Intelligence reports confirmed that Jose Barerra was a former rebel who worked as team leader under Platoon Olip (an NPA term) assigned to Sitio Liberty.

Jose surrendered to the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) on August 10, 2018 and was recently awarded the E-CLIP (Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program).

The Mangyan tribal community expressed their deep frustration and anguish over the incident.

"Parang hayop nilang pinatay ang isa sa mga lider ng tribu namin. Wala silang mga konsensya. Mabuting tao ito. Akala ko para sila sa tao pero anung ginagawa nila sa amin?” Tribal Chieftain May-at Luzon told GMA News.

Meanwhile, the Mangyan tribal community—together with the family of the victim—is requesting the Philippine National Police and the AFP to help serve justice for the loss of their patriarch and leader.

In a statement, Police Brigadier General Tomas Apolinario, director of the Police Regional Office -Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) condemns the barbaric act perpetrated by the NPA against an iinocent IP member.

"It is an obvious and desperate action by the terrorist NPAs to coerce our brother IPs to join their dwindling and hopeless group," Apolinario said.

Apolinario has directed the Regional Human Rights Office (RHRAO) to assist the family of the slain tribal leader filing criminal charges in court and a case for violation of Human Rights at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) against the NPA members responsible for the killing.

The Regional Crime Laboratory Office will schedule an exhumation and necropsy report on the body at an opportune time to determine if the victim was also tortured before being killed by his perpetrators.

On the other hand, the tribal community will be holding an indignation rally against the NPA to denounce the killing of their IP brother.

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/regions/691249/npa-kills-captive-mangyan-tribe-leader-in-mindoro/story/