Panay Bayan leader face murder, multiple murder tries after soldiers linked him to rebels’ ambush on govt troops

ILOILO CITY –– A known leader of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) in Panay is facing a complaint for murder and multiple attempted murder after soldiers accused him of involvement in an ambush on government troops by communist rebels.

But Elmer Forro, Bayan-Panay secretary-general, condemned the criminal complaint against him as “trumped-up” and part of efforts to harass leaders of progressive organizations who were already red-tagged.

Forro received a subpoena from the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office concerning a criminal complaint filed by the municipal police station of Lambunao, Iloilo in June.

Forro was among those named in the complaint along with alleged New People’s Army (NPA) leader Carl Teodosio, a certain Mara, and unidentified respondents.

They were allegedly among the NPA rebels under the Central Front of the Communist Party of the Philippines in Panay, who ambushed troops from the Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion in Barangay Panuran in Lambunao town on April 7.

Pfc. Mark Nemis, a radio operator, died in the firefight.

In a sworn statement, Cpl. Christopher Llono, one of the soldiers involved in the clash, claimed that when he maneuvered to a higher position during the firefight, he saw Forro among the retreating rebels.

Forro was purportedly wearing a dark-colored shirt and was holding a long firearm.

Llono said he was able to identify Forro based on file photographs of the Army’s 301st Brigade.

Forro denied the accusation saying he was being linked to rebels like other activists to justify arrests, attacks, and killings. He said if needed, he could present proof and witnesses that it was even impossible for him to be In Lambunao during the ambush.

He said he has been busy in relief operations, health trainings, and meetings, including with city officials since the start of the pandemic.

“The accusation against me is nothing but pure harassment by state forces to stop me from my advocacy work as an activist,” he said.

“My colleagues and I have been subjected to threats and harassment and it escalated even in the time of pandemic that led to us facing multiple charges because we exercised our constitutional rights and engaged in relief operations for those worst affected by the lockdown…,” he said.

Forro was among those arrested on May 1 and criminally charged after attempting to hold a protest caravan a day after Bayan Muna Iloilo City coordinator Jose Reynaldo “Jory” was gunned down by masked assailants in a rested cottage in Arevalo District.

His photograph is also among those in posters displayed in the streets of the city since 2018 accusing leaders of progressive organizations as “terrorists” and supporters of the NPA.

LZB