BACOLOD City – A former member of the New People’s Army (NPA) claimed the current mayor and former vice mayor of Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental had links to the communist underground movement.
The claim of 53-year-old Noli Garinggo was contained in a recently submitted affidavit to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Negros Occidental in Camp Alfredo Montelibano Sr. in Barangay Camingawan.
Garingo – former chairman of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) – claimed he served KMP and NPA since 1982 until May 2019 wherein he was disarmed and sentenced to death by the rebel group.
He further claimed his group called a meeting at the home of a certain “Neneng Timbad” in the town’s Barangay Guinpanaan last February 2016. There, he claimed seeing Mayor Ella Garcia-Yulo and former vice mayor Ian Villaflor, along with several other KMP district members from central and southern Negros.
He said that instead of discussing plans for a protest rally, the meeting centered on NPA “datos,” or those identified for liquidation.
Garcia-Yulo and Villaflor had already previously denied and slammed allegations linking them to communist rebels.
Garinggo also claimed that he saw the name of “Nonong Grande” on NPA’s hit list while reviewing the documents from the meeting. Grande was later gun down by the alleged insurgents.
Garinggo further claimed he saw the names of Joerito Amable, Rusty Caminade and town councilor Jolomar Hilario on the said list. They were also murdered in separate incidents.
Garinggo said he was forced into hiding after he separated from his wife, who made false accusations against him before the NPA, until he later learned that he, along with fellow rebel Jerry Turga, were sentenced to death.
After reportedly opposing kill orders, Turga was later shot to death./PN
