Army slams NPA over Himamaylan massacre

From Panay News (Jun 17, 2023): Army slams NPA over Himamaylan massacre (By DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA)

BACOLOD City – The Philippine Army slammed the New People’s Army (NPA) for linking government forces to the massacre of four members of the Fausto family in Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental.

Such allegation was a pathetic attempt by the insurgents to tarnish the Army’s reputation, according to the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IBde) in a statement.

It was meant to mislead people and camouflage culpability of the rebels in the massacre, the Army added.

The Philippine Army assured the public that government forces were committed to uncovering the truth behind the incident and in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Meanwhile, Himamaylan City’s Mayor Raymund Tongson assured the public that the city remains peaceful despite the massacre and the recent torching of heavy equipment in the city’s Barangay Carabalan.

With the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections approaching, Tongson believes the city will likely be included in the election watchlist areas.

The mayor is hoping that the recent incidents will not affect the upcoming polls.

For their part, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) said they are not ruling out the possibility that the massacre was insurgency-related and that it could have also been done by the same NPA rebels who torched the heavy equipment in a neighboring village.

Police Captain Judesses Catalogo, NOCPPO spokesperson, said based on the reports they have received, several NPA rebels were spotted in Sitio Busay, Barangay Buenavista trying to convince residents to support their cause.

As of yesterday afternoon, Catalogo said they have not yet received updates from the Himamaylan City police regarding their investigation.

However, he affirmed that Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) director Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor ordered Himamaylan City police chief Lieutenant Colonel Reynante Jomocan to prioritize collecting evidence and witness testimonies regarding the incident.

The PRO-6 director also called on the residents of barangays Buenavista and Carabalan who may have information about the massacre and the arson attack to surface, reminding them that the incident was a “baseless killing of civilians who do not have the means to fight back.”

Rolly Fausto, wife Emilda and their two sons, 11-year-old Ben and 15-year-old Raben, were gunned down by still unidentified assailants.

Emilda and her sons were found riddled with bullets in their house, while Rolly was found in a field 50 meters away.

The said village is one of several NPA-influenced areas in central Negros where clashes that claimed the lives of several communist rebels and government troops have taken place in recent years.

https://www.panaynews.net/army-slams-npa-over-himamaylan-massacre/