5 men shoot, kill rebel returnee in N. Cotabato

PRESIDENT ROXAS, North Cotabato—Five men who identified themselves as members of the New People’s Army (NPA) on Saturday afternoon shot and killed a former comrade who surrendered to the government last year.

Insp. Romy Castanares, the town’s police chief, said the victim, Larry Embac of Barangay (village) Labu-o here, was sitting at the waiting shed when approached by five armed men.

Sensing that his life was in danger, Embac ran and tried to hide inside the house of Emma Villasor, but he was dragged out and brought to a highway where he was shot to death.

Police recovered 14 empty shells from 9-mm and .45-cal. pistols from the crime site.

Castanares believes that the suspects killed Embac to prevent him from divulging information about the NPA’s activities in the area.

“Allegedly, the suspects shouted ‘we are NPA’ before leaving the crime scene,” said Castanares, in his report submitted to the North Cotabato Police Provincial Office. Williamor A. Magbanua, Inquirer Mindanao