The New People’s Army (NPA) claimed another killing on Thursday, Sept. 4, this time of a farmer who had just brought his son to school in Toboso, Negros Occidental.
Johnny Boy “Jemboy” dela Fuente, 35, was gunned down shortly after bringing his son to school in Sitio Vergara, Brgy. Bug-ang, Toboso, at 6:55 a.m. Thursday.
He was on his way home on a motorcycle when at least two armed men blocked his path and shot him about 900 meters from the elementary school in Sitio Magto-od, the police reported.
The farmer died on the spot from multiple gunshot wounds.
Responding policemen recovered one empty shell of a 5.56mm firearm and five empty shells of a .45 caliber pistol from the scene.
Negros Island Region Police Regional Director, PBGen. Arnold Thomas Ibay, condemned the killing, assuring the public that all resources are being mobilized to bring justice for the victim and his family.
The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-New People’s Army (RJPC-NPA) of the NPA Northern Negros Guerilla Front said it executed a long-standing death sentence imposed by the Revolutionary People’s Court against dela Fuente, whom it alleged was an intelligence asset of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
Dela Fuente had allegedly led 62nd Infantry Brigade soldiers to the home of a member of the NPA, which they raided, and alleged that members of a cooperative were members of the rebel movement, Ka Celle Estrella, RJPC-NPA spokesman, said in a press statement.
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) on Thursday strongly condemned the “senseless” killing of a former village official who was gunned down by the NPA outside his home in Hda. Cabayao, Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
On Wednesday evening the RJPC-NPA issued a statement claiming responsibility for the killing.
The victim was identified as Pablo Brillantes, 54, a former barangay kagawad.
Neighbors described Brillantes as a “peace-loving individual with no derogatory record” and a respected public servant, the police said.
The police said witnesses provided sworn statements confirming that the suspects are members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
The police believe Brillantes was targeted because the suspects mistakenly thought he was an informant for the Philippine Army.
PRO-NIR assured Brillantes’ family and the public that “justice will be relentlessly pursued”.
The PNP called the killing a “cowardly act of violence” and urged residents to help authorities “put an end to the atrocities committed by the CPP-NPA.”
A case is expected to be formally filed on Monday, pending the release of post-mortem and ballistic examination results from the Crime Laboratory.*