1 killed, 1 injured in NPA attack

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines - A civilian was killed, while another one was wounded when suspected New People's Army (NPA) members fired at a house in Brgy. Magticol in Toboso, Negros Occidental Tuesday night.

Colonel Jonas Sumagaysay, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, identified the fatality as Randy Ellani, and the seriously injured as Giovanni Aguirre.

Reports also stated the NPA rebels caused a sugarcane-laden truck to fall off a cliff in the same barangay, he said.

Sumagaysay told Bombo Radyo he believed the rebels seized the opportunity to spread terror in northern Negros while the military was on a ceasefire mode last week while the peace talks in Oslo, Norway was going on.

The rebels might have retaliated against the civilians because the latter failed to comply with the former's demands, said Sumagaysay.

The military official further reported that the NPA has perpetrated 16 violent incidents in northern Negros Occidental in less than two months this year.

Among these are eight cases of violent incidents, three encounters, three liquidations, one harassment, and one raid, committed since January 1 this year, Sumagaysay said in a report.

Sumagaysay's report on Internal Security Operations of his organization was delivered at the Special Joint Meeting of Negros Occidental Provincial Peace and Order Council and Bacolod City Peace and Order Council at the Provincial Capitol Wednesday.

The NPA rebels are most active in northern Negros, he said, adding that this is where the rebels have strengthened their extortion activities on sugar planters. (FREEMAN)