Viscom chief tells NPA: Stop terrorizing innocent civilians

An Army official yesterday urged members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPPNPA) not to terrorize innocent civilians as he condemned the series of killings allegedly perpetrated by the group on Negros Island over the past week.

“The CPP-NPA has once again displayed their murderous nature to terrorize and instill fear [in] the peaceloving communities in the region. These coldblooded murders are manifestations of their complete disregard [for] the lives of our people just to advance their terroristic goal,” Lt. General Benedict Arevalo, chief of the Visayas Command (Viscom), said.

Arevalo said CPP-NPA, through its units, has claimed responsibility for five deaths last month.

Leonardo Panaligan Command-New People’s Army (LPC-NPA) Central Negros Guerrilla Front had reportedly admitted being behind the killing of councilman Cerilo Balasabas, 48 years old, of Barangay Guba in Negros Oriental’s Vallehermoso town on January 14 for allegedly spying for the government.

A certain “JB Regalado” who claimed to be an LPC-NPA spokesperson, said they murdered Balasabas when he acted as an intelligence asset of the Army’s 62nd Infantry Battalion.

Accordingly, Balasabas was instrumental in the residents’ decision to withdraw their support for the movement, but they accused him of threatening and redtagging people to force them to surrender to the government.

A 29-year-old civilian, Raffy Estorco, of Barangay Macagahay in Negros Occidental’s Moises Padilla town, was shot dead by unidentified men on January 19, while driving a motorcycle for his alleged work with the military.

The NPA’s Armando Sumayang Command also admitted responsibility for the death of a civilian identified as Silas Granada who was killed on January 28 at Barangay Pinggot’s Sitio Tugas in Negros Occidental’s Ilog town.

The other victims were Ramel Europa, who was gunned down at Barangay Manghanoy’s Sitio Sambag, La Castellana town on January 23; Regie “Gang Gang” dela Cruz was killed on January 25 at Barangay Buenavista’s Sitio Maiti in Negros Occidental’s Himamaylan City.

Arevalo assured the families of the victims that “the perpetrators of these horrible acts will be held accountable.”

“We will further intensify our efforts to achieve justice for our people and put an end to the CPP-NPA’s menace in the region,” he said.