4 ex-rebels tagged in Sagay massacre

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The four men tagged in the Sagay massacre turned out to be former New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, who earned the ire of the communist group for allegedly collaborating with the government’s counter-insurgency operations, police said yesterday.

The four have been accused by the National Democratic Front (NDF)-Negros as among those involved in the massacre that occurred at a sugarcane farm in Barangay Bulanon, Sagay City, Negros Occidental on Oct. 20.

NDF-Negros spokesman Frank Fernandez earlier said the four – whom he identified as  Vito Lutrago, Eduardo Linugon, Rexi Robles and a certain Rako – are former members of the Revolutionary Proletarian Army, a breakaway group of the NPA.

Fernandez said the information was based on what he called as “exhaustive investigations” conducted by the NPA Roselyn Pelle Command based in northern Negros.

Chief Inspector Robert Mansueto, city  police chief, said that Lutrago, Linugon and Robles are former NPA members, while Rako is an asset of the Philippine Army.

Mansueto said they have no evidence yet linking the four to the massacre. He urged the NPA to produce proof of their  involvement in the killing.

The police, Mansueto said, would include the four in the list of individuals to be invited for questioning.

He said their investigation is still underway even as multiple murder charges have been filed against two suspects – identified as Rene Manlangit and Rogelio Arquillo, organizers of the National Federation of Sugar Workers – and seven other unidentified men.

Mansueto said they have taken the testimonies of six other individuals whom they invited for questioning.

Investigation by the city police showed that two of Lutrago’s brothers  were killed by the NPA several years ago.

 The families of Manlangit and Arquillo have fled from their homes for security reasons, police said. 

The National Bureau of Investigation is also conducting a separate investigation of the massacre.