BACOLOD CITY — The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) has condemned the latest atrocity of the New People’s Army (NPA), which claimed the life of village chief Rhoy Pagapang of Barangay Libas in Isabela town.
“We are condemning the violent act perpetrated by the NPA,” said Senior Insp. Aireen Cordua, public information officer of NOCPPO, in a statement on Wednesday.
Cordua said that despite the communist rebels owning up to the killing of 38-year-old barangay captain, the police will continue with the investigation.
“It will not stop the police from investigating the incident. We have to know the reason why he was killed and also look into the background of the barangay captain,” she added.
Cordua said Senior Supt. Rodolfo Castil, police provincial director, believes that if Pagapang committed violations, he should have gone through due process.
“Killing him should not be their solution,” she quoted Castil.
On Monday night, the NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command-Central Negros Guerrilla Front, in a statement released to the local media, claimed responsibility for the death of Pagapang, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants in Barangay Cabcab on Monday morning.
The rebel group said Pagapang was a “military asset,” who has included him in their target list since 2016 for providing information on the NPA’s activities to the intelligence officer of the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade.
Senior Insp. Randy Babor, chief of Isabela Municipal Police Station, on Tuesday said they will focus their investigation on the perpetrators from the rebel group.
Pagapang is the latest casualty of what the Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion called “the killing rampage of the CPP-NPA’s Leonardo Panaligan Command” in central Negros.
Two incidents were recorded on August 10, including the murders of former San Agustin village chief Agapito Euraoba, also of Isabela, in Negros Occidental and of village chief Virgilio Masicampo Jr. of Barangay Nagsaha, Guihulngan City, in Negros Oriental. (Nanette Guadalquiver/PNA)
