Army commander condemns murder of ex-NPA rebel in hands of former comrades

TACLOBAN City - The army commander in Eastern Visayas denounced the New People’s Army (NPA) for killing one of their former comrades who had already returned to the fold of the law.

Eight Infantry Division Commander Major General Pio Dinoso III assured that the government forces will do everything in order to give justice to the former NPA rebel who was mercilessly killed by his comrades.

“We will make the Communist NPA terrorists and their supporters accountable for the actions of their members, who deprived their former NPA members the chance to live peacefully with their loved ones,” Diñoso said.

He also called on the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and human rights advocates like Karapatan Eastern Visayas chapter to condemn the incident, and take action for the lives of the victims who were mercilessly murdered.

According to the army, five former rebels have been abducted and murdered by the NPA.

The condemnation came after a former rebel who surrendered to the government was brutally killed by Communist terrorists in Barangay Nagpapacao, Matuguinao, Samar, early Monday morning, September 28.

The victim was identified as Carlos Diaz, 48, who was shot several times in the head and different parts of his body by eight NPA members while he was working at his farm.

Police said the victim went to his farm as his daily routine, while his son went to a river to fetch water.

While his son was at the river, he heard sporadic gunfire coming from their farm so he hurriedly ran towards the area. It was there that he saw the bloodied and lifeless body of his father lying on the grassy portion near the furnace.