Army cautions village officials involved with rebel movement

COLONEL Oscar Lactao, commander of the Philippine Army's 303rd Brigade in Bacolod, cautioned village officials who get involved in the rebel movement.

This came after a rebel who was slain in a recent encounter with the Army turned out to be a president of a sitio in a city in northern Negros.

Lactao said he was surprised to know that the slain rebel identified as Edgar Saguirre Lopez was a purok president in Barangay Jonob Jonob, Escalante City.

He said Lopez was hit by gunfire from government troopers in the encounter that took place in the area recently.

He added that according to Army informants, three other rebels were wounded in that encounter.

Government troops also recovered after the clash a communist flag, subversive documents and combat packs containing personal belongings and empty shells of assorted high-powered firearms.

Lactao then reminded government officials that they have sworn allegiance to the Philippine flag, thus they are expected to uphold the law of the country.

He urged the officials to end their involvement with the rebel movement, saying that in a firefight, bullets from guns of government forces do not recognize whether one is a barangay official or not.

He said the barangay officials should be the first to uphold the law. (TDE)