Kalinaw News: Killed NPA Terrorist in Kabankalan identified as Top NPA Leader in Negros

From Kalinaw News (Dec 1, 2022): Killed NPA Terrorist in Kabankalan identified as Top NPA Leader in Negros (By Jonathan Blanco)

CAMP GERONA, Murcia, Negros Occidental –One of the Top NPA Leaders stationed on Negros Island was identified as one of the NPA Terrorists killed in a recent encounter in Kabankalan City on November 30, 2022.

Informants and former rebels positively identified the deceased Top NPA Leader as ERICSON LEGAZPI ACOSTA @RAFFY, a 43-year-old native of Ligao City, Albay. According to their admissions, Acosta @RAFFY is currently the head of the political unified committee (PUC) of the NPA terrorists in the Visayas and the deputy secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyon- Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor (KR-NCBS). He is the husband of the late Kerima Tariman, a female NPA leader who was slain on August 22, 2021, in Silay City after a legal conflict with members of 79IB. After RAMON PATRIARCA @USTING/@CHINO, the acting secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, was arrested earlier this year, Acosta took over as first deputy secretary. Due to internal disputes and issues within the NPA organization as well as the declining number of political cadres in Negros Island, Acosta and his wife Kerima Lorena Tariman were sent by the National Organ of the New People’s Army to Negros Island in 2018. They were tasked with managing the NPA’s Regional Party Committee in Negros.

Acosta @RAFFY is the Head of the Political Unified Committee (PUC) and a member of the Pambansang Kalihiman sa Edukasyon (PAKED), which automatically entitles him to membership on the KR-NCBS Executive Committee. He masterminded many NPA crimes on Negros Island, including the early-year ambush on the Binalbagan PNP and other deadly NPA acts. Acosta also conducted multiple NPA political trainings in various hinterland areas and communities on Negros Island based on the informants and Former Rebels to revive the NPA and its Politico-Military Organizations (Underground Organizations).

The National Democratic Front (NDF) spokespeople’s assertions that Acosta is an NDF consultant, peasant organizer, and poet are false. They tried to glorify Acosta’s murder to hide his role in the NPA terrorists’ underground activities and crimes by portraying him as a musician, poet, and innocent activist rather than a notorious NPA leader. The NDF is attempting to hide Ericson Acosta’s genuine identity with its statement.

“The locals’ vigilance and complete faith in the government led to the deaths of NPA Top Leaders Ericson Acosta @RAFFY and Albert Jimenez @TAN-TAN. The encounter highlights the NPA terrorists’ ongoing decline in community support.

The CPP-NPA-NDF will undoubtedly release propaganda whenever they experience significant losses in order to elicit sympathy from the community. When things don’t go their way, they always say there wasn’t a battle or an encounter “The 303rd Brigade Commander, BGEN Inocencio Pasaporte, made a statement.

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