A small group of hinterland residents, led by village officials of Barangay Tayak in Siaton, Negros Oriental on Wednesday strongly condemned the ambush-slay of a farmer allegedly by the New People’s Army (NPA) late last week as they called for an end to the insurgency problem.
On Wednesday morning, around 50 people attended the funeral mass for the late Narciso Bantoto, Jr. at the Sibulan town parish church before they proceeded to Dauin town where he was laid to rest at a public cemetery at noontime Wednesday.
The protesters, carrying placards calling for peace and development and shunning the underground movement, among other things, joined in the indignation rally that followed the funeral mass for the victim who was laid to rest five days after he was shot dead in Siaton.
The farmer, identified as Narciso Bantoto, Jr., 36, married and a resident of Sitio Salingkubong in Barangay Tayak, was killed in the presence of his family by at least two unidentified men in the evening of January 17 at around 9:30 in the evening while they were on their way to a benefit dance at the
Philippine Army sources said the victim was shot five times while his wife, three children and a niece were spared by the perpetrators who allegedly identified themselves as NPA members and who said they were only after Bantoto for “crimes” against the organization.
Crisabel Bantoto, the victim’s wife, in an interview, disclosed that while they were walking around 9:30 p.m. last Friday towards the barangay dance, two men suddenly appeared in their path and pointed guns at her husband.
The suspects shoved the wife and the family members aside and without warning shot Bantoto several times despite their pleas to stop.
Witnesses claim to have heard the suspects announce that they were NPA members while Army authorities confirmed they were able to retrieve a piece of paper signed by a “fictitious” name claiming to be the NPA and giving reasons as to why Bantoto was executed.
Crisabel Bantoto said the perpetrators’ faces were not covered but she could not identify them as it was dark when the shooting happened.
She also denied having any knowledge of her husband having any enemies but admitted his death could be in relation to his leaving the underground movement and returning to mainstream life.
Bantoto was said to be a member of the Yunit Militia (mass base) of the NPA until he left last July 2013.
Army officials say Bantoto was most likely killed because he was accused of being an informant of the military.
Meanwhile, Ricardo Makatungtong, village chief of Tayak, expressed sadness over the death of Bantoto, noting the fate that befell him after having “served” in the underground movement for some time.
According to the Tayak official, he disclosed that as today, that hinterland village is no longer as prominent as in the past as having a large mass base of NPA supporters as well as regular rebel members.
Many residents there have already returned to the folds of the law although he believes that sometimes, armed rebel groups are regularly passing through his village.
He called on the people to unite and openly reject the insurgency movement and instead support the government’s program for peace and development.
Makatungtong said this is not the first time that a former NPA supporter was executed in Tayak.
He disclosed that a few years back, a member of the Lupong Tagapamayapa was also killed in the presence of other barangay officials in the area.
An Army official said the two suspects who shot dead Bantoto are believed to be members of the liquidation squad, Special Partisan Unit or SPARU.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=608251
Most "indignation rallies" are organized by the local Philippine Army civil-military operations unit. These units routinely engage in psychological operations/civil affairs activities. These rallies are used as counter-propaganda tool to discredit the Maoist New People's Army (NPA) and solidify opposition to insurgent activities and mass base front group presence in the local area.
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