Thursday, May 9, 2019

NPA raid: 2 killed, 3 injured

From the Visayan Daily Star (May 9, 2019): NPA raid: 2 killed, 3 injured

Two members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade died, while three others were wounded when about 30 suspected New People’s Army rebels raided their resettlement site in Sitio Mambinay, Brgy. Locotan, Kabankalan City.
Killed were Florencio Vergara, alias Bogie, and Jonel Marabebe, while those injured were identified by the police as Jonathan Pagados, Ramil Banista and a certain Ruel.

Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, yesterday said that the RPA-ABB members, who were securing government projects being constructed for them by the government, fought back against the rebel attackers for almost 10 minutes, at about 1 a.m. yesterday.
Ka Juanito Magbanua, spokesman of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command, immediately issued a statement, also yesterday, claiming responsibility for the raid.

Magbanua said that their successful offensive against the RPA-ABB was in response to what he claims was a long time demand of the people for justice.

He had also linked the RPA-ABB to the massacre of nine farm workers in Sagay City, serving as alleged goons of a family in Salvador Benedicto, for killing Alexander Seballos and Councilor Eden Bacordo and two in 2017, murder of Judge Henry Arles, and three members of the Bargamento family in Manapla, among other alleged numerous crimes.

The 700-strong RPA-ABB, that was founded by the slain Arturo Tabara, former secretary of the CPP-NPA Visayas Commission, and Abang Lingkod partylist Rep. Stephen Paduano, its former national commander, is a breakaway faction of the New People’s Army, that entered into a peace agreement with the government in 2000.

The government, though its PAMANA program, is presently constructing a day care center, school building and a water impounding facility at the resettlement site of the RPA-ABB in Brgy. Locotan, Kabankalan City, as part of the economic package given to them.

Police investigation showed that Banista was sleeping inside a school building when he heard a burst of gunfire.While he was trying to seek a cover, Banista was hit in the back, although he managed to escape.

There were also reports that the fleeing NPA rebels took the firearms of the slain and injured RPA-ABB members.

As an offshoot of the peace agreement, the government put up resettlement sites for the members and families of RPA-ABB, which is now known as Kapatiran, also in the cities of Cadiz and San Carlos, Negros Occidental, aside from Brgy. Locotan in Kabankalan City.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/May/09/topstory4.htm

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