BACOLOD City – The New People’s Army (NPA) admitted to killing a former member of another rebel group in Sitio Gutisan, Barangay Camansi, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.
The NPA said Tuesday’s shooting was staged by its Armando Sumayang Jr. command as “punishment” for the 40-year-old Jonybert Sabico, who the Philippine Army said is a former member of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army.
Six armed men peppered Sabico with bullets at around 7:20 a.m. on Feb. 19, a report from the Police Regional Office 6 showed.
The Barangay Tampalon, Kabanklan City resident was driving his motorcycle when the gunmen attacked.
Sabico died of multiple gunshot wounds on the body, the Kabanakalan City police said.
Colonel Benedict Arevalo – commander of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia, Negros Occidental – said Sabico’s death is a “clear violation” of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
He added that the NPA’s admission will be documented and sent to the Army’s higher command so that it can be used for “a report to the European Union to further confirm that the EU is correct in naming the NPA as a terrorist organization.”
Arevalo added: “I once again challenge the Kaparatan, the NUPL (National Union of Peoples’ Lawyer) and the rest of the militant leftist organizations to condemn such terroristic acts if they are not bogus human right advocates.”/PN
