NPAs admit killing Cotabato b’gay exec

COTABATO CITY — The New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed responsibility for the March 9 killing of a barangay chairman, a staunch supporter of re-electionist North Cotabato Gov. Emmanuel Piñol.

This developed as 20 rebels stormed the police station in Gabaldon, Nueva Ecija last Friday, carting away the service firearms of three policemen who were on duty during the raid.

Ricardo Fermiza, the NPA’s spokesman in North Cotabato, was quoted by the Mindanao Cross, a local weekly newspaper of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation, as saying that they executed Maximo Rabina, chairman of a hinterland barangay in Makilala, North Cotabato, for being supportive of the pacification campaign of local authorities.

Fermiza, who belongs to the NPA’s Front 51 Magtanggol Roque Command, said Rabina helped recruit civilian volunteers and activate village militias which the military used in fighting communist rebels in Makilala town.

Makilala officials confirmed that Rabina further got the ire of local guerrillas when he became critical of the NPA’s collection of "permit-to-campaign fees" from candidates in the May 10 polls.

Piñol has offered a P100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the rebels who gunned down Rabina not far away from his house.

Piñol said they have received reports that Benjie Pahak, who is wanted for drug trafficking and extortion, led the NPA group which killed Rabina.

Chief Superintendent Vidal Querol, Central Luzon police director, said the insurgents who attacked the Gabaldon police station took the M-16 Armalite rifle of Inspector Victor Bautista, the 9-mm pistol of SPO4 Emerito Somera, the caliber .38 revolver of PO3 Hermogenes Evaristo, a base radio transceiver and three cellular phones.

Meanwhile, a policeman and five security guards were wounded and another guard reported missing in separate encounters with NPA rebels in Quezon, Camarines Sur and Compostela Valley in the past three days.

Reports reaching Camp Crame said PO1 Leonardo Robles Jr. was wounded in a clash in Barangay San Roque Heights in Bula, Camarines Sur.

Another encounter took place in Sampaloc, Quezon between some 50 rebels and elements of the Army’s 4th Special Forces Battalion.

In Compostela Valley, guerrillas attacked the Nova Vista banana plantation in Mabini town last Friday, wounding five security guards and carting away four M-16 rifles, a Garand rifle and a handheld radio. A sixth guard went missing after the raid, reports said. — With Ric Sapnu and Christina Mendez