Rebels claim killingof NegOr policemen

From the Visayan Daily Star (Jul 23, 2019): Rebels claim killingof NegOr policemen

The New People’s Army yesterday claimed responsibility for the death of four police intelligence operatives in Ayungon, Negros Oriental.

Ka Dionesio Magbuelas, spokesman of the NPA’s Mt. Cansermon Command, said the four policemen were killed for intelligence gathering, in connection with the implementation of the deadly Synchronized Enhanced Managing Police Operations that has claimed the lives of many civilians in Negros Oriental.

The admission of the NPA came after the police filed multiple murder and theft charges against Victoriano Anadon, Jonathan Baldivino, Rengie Anadon Baluhabo, Gelie Anadon Ebedo, Joseph Torres Ogates, and Jelly Anadon Ebedobefore the Negros Oriental Provincial Prosecutor’s Office, for the killing of the four policemen, Negros Oriental provincial police director, Col. Raul Tacaca, said yesterday.

The six suspects were charged with murder for the deaths of Cpl. Relebert Beronio, and Patrolmen Raffy Callao, Ruel Cabellon and Marquino de Leon of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 7.

The four police intelligence officers were captured, tortured, and killed allegedly by 15 or more members of the NPA while they were on their way to the house of Anadon Jr. around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

Robbery charges were also filed against them for allegedly taking away the cops’ service firearms and other personal belongings.

Luga said that based on witnesses’ testimonies and photos, all six suspects have been identified as NPA members.

Anadon is now under detention at the Ayungon Police Station awaiting a commitment order for transfer to the Negros Oriental Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Dumaguete City.

Police investigation also showed that it was Anadon, who tied up the policemen with nylon cords.

The four victims were then brought to the house of Anadon, where they were summarily executed by suspected NPA rebels, P/Brig. Debold Sinas, Central Visayas police director, said.

The victims suffered lone gunshot wounds on their heads, he added.

Sinas said the four, who initially resisted, were subdued and hit with rifle butts. Some of them suffered fractured ribs and hematoma, their autopsy reports showed.

Magbuelas, in his statement, said the four policemen harassed farmers in the area.

He also confirmed that they confiscated four handguns with 135 ammunition and an alleged target list from the four slain policemen.

Speaking to reporters after his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte said that he would add another P300,000 if the leader of the perpetrators was presented to him dead or alive, bringing the total to P1.3 million.

Duterte Saturday conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kalasag on the four policemen in rites held at Camp Francisco Fernandez in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, in the presence oftheir families.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/July/23/topstory7.htm