10th ID condemns NPA execution of 2 civilians in Davao City

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 27): 10th ID condemns NPA execution of 2 civilians in Davao City

The Compostela Valley-based 10th Infantry Division on Friday strongly condemned the New People's Army (NPA) for killing two innocent civilians whom they claimed were military stooges and drug dealers.

The first such killing took place on Jan. 16, when an NPA liquidation squad shot and killed Alberto T. Sablada in Paquibato, Davao City, while the second incident took place on Jan. 23 in Calinan, where rebels gunned down Alfredo Bondoc.

"The 10th Infantry Division takes strong offense on the unfounded allegation of the NPA-SMRC (Southern Mindanao Regional Command) spokesperson Rigoberto Sanchez that an NPA liquidation victim Alberto Sablada was a 'stooge' of the 73rd Infantry Battalion and that the NPA killing was a 'dispensation of justice'," 10th Infantry Division spokesperson Capt. Rhyan Batchar said.

He also contested Sanchez's claims that Pondoc is a drug trader as the latter is known to be only a farmer in the Calinan area.

"The 73rd Infantry Battalion is not or any way connected to Sablada as 'stooge' or to any Alamara group, if there is such, as claimed by Sanchez. Currently, the 73rd Infantry Battalion holds as its area of responsibility the Provinces of Davao Occidental, Davao del Sur and Sarangani and does not operate in Calinan, Davao City," Batchar said.

He added that warrants of arrest can only be implemented by duly authorized authorities such as the PNP or other law enforcement agency as ordered by the court, he added.

He stressed the NPA is not a legitimate law enforcement unit. As such, their actions are criminal.

"The NPA is Never a People's Army, they are a bunch of bandits wantonly killing innocent civilians," Batchar concluded.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=958677