AFTER five days, another civilian was killed by alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Calatrava town, Negros Occidental past 5 a.m. Friday, August 12, 2022.
Major Lumyaen Lidawan, Calatrava town police chief, identified the victim as Renato Estrebillo, alias "Retchie," 43, of the town’s Barangay Marcelo.
Lidawan said five armed men introduced themselves as military men and asked Estrebillo to come out from his house.
He said the suspects brought Estrebillo about 15 meters away from his house and repeatedly shot him and introduced themselves as NPA members before they left.
Witnesses claimed that the suspects were wearing black pants, black sweat shirt and black cap
Estrebillo died upon arrival at the Calatrava Rural Health Unit due to multiple gunshot wounds, Lidawan also said, adding that they believed the killing has something to do with the fact that the victim is reportedly a military asset.
Two cartridge cases of a .45 caliber pistol were recovered from the scene of the crime, police records showed.
On Sunday, Rodel Nobleza, alias “Peter,” 37, also of Barangay Marcelo, was also gunned down on Sunday morning by five armed men who had introduced themselves as NPA.
Nobleza was riding his motorcycle with two minors on their way to Don Salvador Benedicto town, when they were flagged down by the perpetrators.
Lidawan said the victim and his minor-companions alighted from their motorcycle.
However, the victim’s companions aged 16 and 17 were told by the armed men to turn their backs, afterwhich, gunshots were heard.
Nobleza was also reportedly a military asset.