THE Leonardo Panaligan Command (LPC) of the New People’s Army (NPA) claimed the shooting incident at Barangay Puso Proper in La Castellana, Negros Occidental which killed a man last week.
On May 11, Roland Gonzales, 36, of Sitio Balunggay in Barangay Guinpana-an, Moises Padilla town went to the house of a certain Estrella Ugbamen when two unidentified male teenagers fired at him.
He succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds.
Ka JB Regalado, spokesperson of LPC, in a press statement two days after the incident, said they committed the crime after they received information that Gonzales allegedly conspired in the killing of peasant leader Jerry Turga on April 28 at Barangay Guinpana-an, Moises Padilla town.
Turga serves as the vice chairperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in the province.
He was the 26th victim of political killing in Negros.
The rebel group also said that Gonzales was allegedly using the name of the NPA in his extortion activities.
Regalado claimed that Gonzales was allegedly using the name of the group while the latter was establishing his connection with a politician in southern Negros.
Meanwhile, the group also warned Gonzales’ companions to stop using their name in their extortion activities for personal interest.
They also ordered their fellow members to arrest a certain Regie Lopez to answer the crimes he reportedly committed against Turga and the people.