Of the more than 30 killings recorded in central Negros, 23 occurred in Guihulngan City, four of whom were barangay officials while 19 others were civilians.
These included village chiefs Edgardo Malay of Barangay Hinakpan on November 11, 2006, David Sadagnot of Barangay T-Hill on December 6, 2006, Sebastian Tanoy Jr. of Barangay Imelda on August 3, 2007, and Barangay Kagawad Jury Bayawa from Barangay Maniak on March 4, 2006.
The civilians were the following:
Nicodimus Magallano - killed on Mar 2, 2002
Anecito de la Torre - July 6, 2002
Wilbino Dela Sundra - July 1, 2005
Eladio Dasian - June 20, 2006
Marino Matoog - June 23, 2006
Avelino Lapus - June 6, 2006
Carlito Sta. Ana - October 30, 2006
Benrubio Deniega - January 18, 2006
Noel Andy Gimena - May 25, 2006
Lope Pacatang - July 1, 2007
Ronel Cebe - June 3, 2007
Andres Divinagracia - August 12, 2007
Wilfredo Galban - February 2008
All were victims of the so-called 'People's Court' by the NPA, the Army said.
Lieutenant Colonel Franco Nemesio Gacal, commanding officer of the Army's 11th Infantry Battalion, claimed that these killings were carried out by the NPA's Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) members of the Leonardo Panaligan Command of Kometing Rehiyon Negros (KRN).
The Leonardo Panaligan Command is a local guerilla unit of KRN operating in central Negros. KRN meanwhile, is headed by Francisco Fernandez, Gacal added.
As per records from the Philippine National Police, court proceedings on murder charges filed against the NPAs and leaders of the Leonardo Panaligan Command are pending due to the non-arrest of the respondents, he said.
Meanwhile, Gacal said that last April 27, a member of Civilian Active Auxiliary (CAA) assigned at the Sandayao detachment, also in Guihulngan, was added to the long list of unsolved killings perpetrated by the NPA.
The victim was CAA Elpidio Bacaro, who was shot while off duty. He was reportedly attending a local fiesta in Barangay Sandayao when SPARU members of the KRN allegedly shot the back of his head.
Gacal said "it was done treacherously in broad daylight and in public view."
Bacaro reportedly volunteered to be a member of the Citizen Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) because he can no longer take the extortion and atrocities done by the NPAs in their community.
He only wanted to defend his village against the NPAs, the army colonel said.
"It cannot be denied that for nearly four decades of armed rebellion waged in the countryside, the CPP/NPA/NDF only brought massive destruction of properties and dislocations of local residents which greatly affected the socio-economic conditions of the country," Gacal lamented.
