NPA claims responsibility for farmer’s gun slay in NegOr

From the Philippine News Agency (May 21, 2023): NPA claims responsibility for farmer’s gun slay in NegOr (By Mary Judaline Partlow)

NPA ATROCITY. Police process the crime scene where a farmer was shot dead by New People's Army rebels in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental on Saturday afternoon (May 20, 2023). The victim reportedly refused to continue to support the group. (Photo courtesy of Guihulngan City Police)

DUMAGUETE CITY – A farmer in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental was shot and killed by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) after he reportedly withdrew his support from the insurgency movement, a police official said on Sunday.

The 47-year-old victim, Eduardo Antiquando Balansag, a resident of Sitio Mansalukon in Barangay Calupaan, was killed Saturday afternoon at his residence by four armed men who claimed to be NPA members.

Lt. Col. Romeo Cubo, Guihulngan City police chief, told the Philippine News Agency that the suspects shouted “Mabuhay ang NPA (Long live the NPA)” before they fled.

Cubo said the strongest possible motive for the killing was that Balansag had refused to continue to support the group.

“Information that we gathered from the ground showed that Balansag used to provide food to the armed rebels but had stopped recently,” Cubo said in Cebuano.

Balansag was working on his newly built house when the two suspects arrived and talked to him for about 40 minutes, police investigation showed.

Two others arrived later but remained a short distance away.

The duo who came earlier then drew their guns and fired at Balansag, who managed to run away but the two others blocked his path and shot him several times more, causing his instant death.

The police recovered three pieces of empty shells of caliber .45; one empty shell of caliber 5.56mm; one live round of caliber .45; and a deformed slug of caliber .45.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1201905