Pitao gets back at Army; 1 soldier killed

DAVAO CITY , Philippines  – A member of the Army’s 55th Engineering Brigade was reportedly killed by unidentified armed men at around 9 a.m. yesterday at his residence in Paquibato Proper, this city. Authorities believed this was a way of New People’s Army rebel leader Leoncio Pitao, also known as Commander Parago, to his getting back at the military whom he suspected to be behind the brutal murder of his daughter last week.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) spokesman Maj. Randolph Cabangbang identified the victim as one Cpl. Reynaldo Avanceña, a member of the 55th Engineering Brigade based in Camp Enrile, Malagutay, Zamboanga City. Cabangbang said Avanceña was on a break and just arrived in Paquibato where his wife is working as health worker. “He really did not have any idea and did not know what was happening because he just came from Zamboanga,” Cabangbang said.

Cabangbang said it could be possible that the communist insurgents were behind the killing of Avanceña as a way of Pitao’s retaliation against the military men whom he claimed to have been behind the killing of his daughter Rebelyn last week.

Pitao has pointed to 11 operatives of the Armed Forces Military Intelligence Group XI (MIG XI) and the Military Intelligence Battalion (MIB) as the ones who snatched and killed his daughter. “It could be possible. But it could not also be so. We still have to find out,” Cabangbang said.  – Edith Regalado