BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Tiempo suerte or the milling season has started in Negros island but it has proven fatal for three victims of the Communist New People’s Army whose guerrillas went on a series of executions against what it called as “legitimate military targets” who have been sentenced to die by their courts.
Army officials in the Visayas slammed the NPA for the executions and called these “terrorist activities,” which they said must be condemned by Negrosanons.
The spokesperson of the NPA’s regional Leonardo Panaligan military command, who carries the nom de guerre JB Regalado, owned up to three killing, one in mid August and two others in the first week of September.
The first kill was on 18 August 2021 when the “death sentence” was carried out on former militiaman Jessie Silva in the village of Trinidad, Guihulngan, a city about 120 kilometers north of here.
Regalado claimed Silva was a former member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU), the Army’s paramilitary arm.
The rebel spokesman described him as an active informant of the 62nd Infantry Battalion who also acted as a guide for soldiers.
He also claimed Silva reported on the movement of rebels, was responsible for the raid on the Ibarle family, and had a peasant, Omar Ibarle, arrested twice.
He received money from the military, Regalado added.
On 2 September 2021, partisans also killed Cerilo “Jerlo” Paderna in the sub-village of Basyao, Pinukawan, an upland village in Vallehermoso town.
Regalado claimed Paderna was the commander of a CAFGU detachment in Maglahus, Vallehermoso, and blamed him for the raid on two NPA “martyrs,” Ka Joshua and Ka Minggoy in the vilage of Bucalan, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
The third killing, so far, was on 3 September 2021 when Red assassins gunned down Elmer Caratu in Nasunggan village, La Libertad town.
Regalado claimed three regular intelligence operatives of the 94th Battalion fled during the killing of Caratu who was the commanding officer of the Tinayunan Hill CAFGU Detachment in Guihulngan City.
He also accused Caratu, who was a village councilman, of peddling illegal drugs.
Regalado offered no proof and reported that NPA operatives recovered “one Engram, two magazines, and bullets.”
