The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO-NIR) today, Sept. 4, strongly condemned the “senseless” killing of a former village official by the New People’s Army who was gunned down outside his home in Hda. Cabayao, Brgy. San Pablo, Manapla, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday, Sept. 3.
On Wednesday evening, the Roselyn Jean Pelle Command of the New People’s Army (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.
According to police, 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.”
The case is expected to be formally filed on Monday, pending the release of post-mortem and ballistic examination results from the Crime Laboratory.*
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