Friday, June 08, 2007 Review of peace agreement between RPA and gov't pushed By Nicolas C. Delfin
BOTH the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Bongcayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) and the police authorities alongside with the military are still investigating what really transpired during the alleged misencounter that resulted to the death of a civilian and injured two men at the cock-farm of San Enrique Mayor Jilson Tubillara in Balabag, La Carlota City Wednesday afternoon.
Up to this time, both, however, refused to point fingers against each other on whom to blame on the two-minute firefight.
But if Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) Director Rosendo Franco is to be believed, RPA's failure to coordinate with the police regarding their activity in the area had caused the misencounter.
"They should inform the police authorities or the military whatever activities they have in the area rather than for us to come and ask them," Franco said, adding the RPA also violated the election gunban as well as the peace agreement for carrying firearms in public.
Misunderstanding
Franco, however, disclosed the incident was also a result of misunderstanding between RPA-ABB and the group of policemen and the military.
"We received an information that the RPA-ABB reportedly went to the house of Balabag Captain Jesus Rumbines at about 10 a.m. in order to ask permission and inform the latter of their activity.
However, residents were alarmed and reported the incident to the local police prompting the operation," Franco said.
Based on a report submitted by La Carlota Police Chief Melchor Coronel, it was the members of the RPA-ABB who first fired against the joint operatives of local policemen and Army's 11th Infantry Battalion led by Police Officer Jerry Rumbines and Major Danilo Basuel, respectively.
Melchor said when the police and military operatives arrived at the cock-farm, a group of RPA-ABB men armed with M16 and M14 rifles inside a shanty immediately fired gunshots at them resulting to a brief encounter.
Jesus Manangquil, commander of the 11th Infantry Battalion, said they are still interrogating eight members of the RPA-ABB who are still in their custody.
Lualhati Carapali, national commander of the RPA-ABB, on the other hand, said they will also conduct a separate investigation for a fair decision of the Joint Enforcement Monitoring Committee (JEMC).
Killed during the encounter was Romulo Estacio, 43, of Hacienda Agustina, La Castellana town.
Noli Escalona, also civilian and Arnel Castañares, a member of the RPA-ABB got injured. Both are still recuperating at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital (CLMMRH) here in Bacolod City.
Meanwhile, peace advocate in Negros Duds Locsin pushed for a review of the peace agreement between the government and RPA-ABB following the Balabag incident.
In an interview over ABS-CBN, Locsin said it is high time now to review such agreement inked in 2000 so to know what particular provisions needed to be improved or corrected.
