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Friday, February 10, 2006
Rebels own execution of Davao Norte councilmen
By Nelson C. Bagaforo
DAVAO -- The New People's Army (NPA) rebels reported their fighters "meted the death penalty" on two government militiamen on Wednesday in New Corella town in Davao del Norte, claiming the two were "made to account for their long-standing blood debts against the revolutionary movement."
In a press statement Thursday, Marcella Valiente, spokesperson of the NPA's Front 33 Command, said Bartolome and Juaton were members of the military-backed Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit (Cafgu) responsible for the killing of an NPA guerilla, identified only as Ka Raul, in the same barangay in 1998.
"After shooting comrade Raul to death, they took an M-16 armalite rifle and a garand rifle (from Raul's team)," Valiente said.
In retaliation, the NPA meted the death penalty on the two victims.
The NPA guerillas seized three high-powered rifles -- two garand rifles and one M-79 grenade launcher -- from the victims, whom they claimed were assigned in the Army's 72nd Infantry Battalion detachment in the nearby Barangay Patrocenio.
"The guerilla unit conducted the tactical operation with precision, speed and swiftness," Valiente said in the statement.
Major Jose Maria Cuerpo II, chief of the 5th Civil Relations Group based in Panacan, Davao City said around 12 heavily armed suspected NPA members swooped down in Barangay El Salvador of New Corella around 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday and killed barangay council members Bartolome Cabuga and Raul Juaton.
The attackers, he said, were led by Alexander Alicaba alias Ka Alex, commander of the NPA-Southern Mindanao's Front 33 Operations Command.
Cuerpo said the communist rebels forced barangay residents to point the location of the two councilmen.
The New Corella police are now conducting pursuit operation against the perpetrators.
On Wednesday, a group of lumads appealed to the government to help in the safe release of three tribesmen -- Rudy Adang, a barangay councilman and a militiaman, Tony Lige and Inggo Lintanod, both farmers -- taken hostage by NPA rebels, under Kumander Parago, in Paquibato District on January 25.
Lieutenant Colonel Rolly Bautista, chief of the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion, said the lumads in Paquibato agreed to seek the help of government officials especially that of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to ensure that the three hostages are released unharmed.
Rebel spokesman Jorge Madlos reiterated over a local television news program that the three lumads are not ordinary farmers as what the military are claiming.
He claimed Adang, a Cafgu, and Alamara members Tony Legue and Inggo Lintanod are active combatants in the paramilitary operations directly organized by the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion.
Madlos said the hostages have collectively participated in various military combat, intelligence and psywar operations and have individually committed particular abuses and violations of people's rights.
Meanwhile, government troops claimed to have killed 10 rebels in running gun battles.
The military said weeklong fighting around Catanauan town in Quezon province has left 10 rebels dead, although regional military commander Lieutenant General Pedro Cabuay said troops were able to recover only eight bodies.
The rebels quickly denied the army's count, saying only one guerrilla was killed and another captured on Wednesday.
Rebel spokesman Gregorio Rosal said the clashes were set off when rebel snipers killed two army soldiers, prompting the military to launch retaliatory strikes.
"I'm just afraid that the military would just round up civilians and make them appear later as among the 10 rebels they've supposedly killed," Rosal said.
The guerrillas, who are blacklisted by the US and the European Union as terrorists, have intensified attacks in recent months in an effort to bring about the downfall of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as she faces resignation calls over vote-rigging and corruption allegations.
The NPA, with about 8,500 fighters, has been waging a rebellion since 1969. The rebels suspended Norwegian-brokered talks with the Philippine government in 2004 to protest Manila's refusal to ask Washington and the EU to remove them from a list of terrorist groups. (Sun.Star Davao/AP/Sunnex)
(February 10, 2006 issue)
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