BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines – Local police of Calatrava town have filed murder charges against seven alleged members of the Communist New People’s Army who are believed to have killed the chief of an upland village in Calatrava town.
As this developed, an Army battalion reported a rebel was killed early today, 7 September 2022, in a clash between its soldiers and a band of New People’s Army rebels in the mountain village of Trinidad.
The 62nd Battalion said the clash happened around 7:30am after people tipped off soldiers about the rebels who were allegedly extorting from residents in the sub village of Manlibod.
Army Second Lieutenant Mary Liza Joy De Guzman said soldiers of the 62nd’s Mobile Community Sustainment Support Team (MCSST) clashed with the rebels around five minutes.
Adter the gunfight, the body of a suspected rebel was found and soldiers seized guns, bullets, and a hand grenade.
Case Vs. Rebels
Camp. Montelibano spokesman Lieutenant Judesses Catalogo said the charge was filed before the Provincial Prosecutors Office but he did not name the rebels who were accused.
He added witnesses to the slay said they saw seven suspected rebels, all men, kill Javoc outside his house and in front of his family.
Catalogo also said rebels have admitted to the slay.
Town police chief, Major Lumyaem Ligawan said claims of rebels that Javoc is a protector of narcotic operations in Lalong is only an allegation to justify the killing of Javoc.
He said the slain village chief has not been onthe police watchlist of drug protectors.
He said Javoc even had the NPA declared persona non grata in Lalong, which could be a reason for his slay.
