THE army’s 58th Infantry Battalion (58IB) has claimed that communist guerillas have allegedly killed one of their comrades in Banglay, Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental who was supposed to abandon the organization and surrender to government authorities, last week.
In a statement, the military said the Rodrigo Hilogon alias Esto, 34, was about to turn himself in when he was allegedly killed by the New People’s Army (NPA) combatants.
The military said he was tied and his foot peeled off and repeatedly stabbed by suspected NPA fighters.
Hilogon was a father of six and a member of Militia ng Bayan operating within the Lantad-Balatukan Complex.
Private Rebodin Hilogon, the victim’s brother and a former rebel turned army soldier, was negotiating the surrender of his brother to the government.
The military said the family will be filing cases against the suspects identified by the witnesses.
“The witnesses said that the NPA are forcing them to join the bakwits in Cagayan de Oro City. They further said that the NPA will continue to harass them if the residents of Sitio Camansi continue to reside and stay in their sitio,”the military said.
58IB commander Lieutenant Colonel Roy Anthony Derilo said the incident manifested the gross violation of human rights by the NPA.
“They make an example so that peace and development for the community will be hampered in the CAPDev area. They are desperate because their former supporters have realized their deception and are now taking steps towards peace and now supports the government program to end local communist armed conflict,”Derilo said.
Derilo said the tribal leaders are planning to stage a province-wide rally to express their sentiments.
“They are hoping other sectors to join them as they asked the support of the LGU for this planned massive undertaking,” he added.