NPA tagged in barangay chair candidate killing in Samar

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 20, 2023): NPA tagged in barangay chair candidate killing in Samar (By Sarwell Meniano)

VIOLENCE. The village chief who was shot dead in the upland community of Paranas, Samar on Sept. 18, 2023. The regional police said Wednesday (Sept. 20, 2023) that the New People’s Army was behind the killing of the barangay official, who was a former rebel. (Photo courtesy of PNP)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Police Regional Office (PRO) 8 (Eastern Visayas) has tagged the New People’s Army (NPA) as responsible for the recent killing of a village chief in Paranas town, Samar province.

In a statement issued Wednesday, the PRO-8 disclosed that armed rebels perpetrated the fatal shooting of Tito Llamado, 59, chairperson of upland Barangay Anagasi in Paranas on Sept. 18.

The slain village official, who was seeking another term in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) on Oct. 30, was a rebel returnee.

“The slain victim, who was a former member of the communist terrorist group, had cut ties with them to become an active supporter of the government’s program to end local communist armed conflict,” PRO-8 stated.

The victim and his wife were near their farmhouse when armed men attacked him.

The police assured the public that they would continue to bar the NPA’s attempt to regain control of previously influenced areas.

“We have strengthened our resolve to end the communist terrorism by bringing the remnants of the NPA into the folds of law,” it added.

Llamado was the second village official to be attacked in Eastern Visayas since the start of the election period.

A village councilman seeking the barangay chief post was critically wounded during an ambush in Leyte, Leyte on Sept. 7.

The PRO-8 earlier deployed more than 11,000 police personnel to ensure a safe, secure and honest BSKE next month.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1210221