Ex-rebel slain in Masbate shooting

LEGAZPI CITY –– A former member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was killed Monday by armed men in Monreal town in Masbate, police said Tuesday.

Colonel Joriz Cantoria, Masbate police chief, reported that Rey Labustro, 25, was feeding his fighting cocks when at least 15 gunmen, believed to be NPA guerrillas, appeared around 10 a.m. in Barangay Rizal and shot him several times, killing him instantly.

Cantoria said Labustro was part of the Larangan 1 of Komiteng Probinsya 4 under Eliseo Cabarles alias Ka Reymond/Kiko.

Recovered from the area were nine fired bullets for 5.56mm and one for 7.62mm.

About 30 minutes later, when the police were about to serve an arrest warrant against Glen Gutierrez in the same village for separate homicide charges, they were fired upon by at least 15 suspected rebels.

No one was hurt on the government side in the 20-minute firefight, Cantoria said.

The police recovered nine fired bullets for 5.56mm and one for 7.62mm from the clash site.

Cantoria said the rebels whom the government forces encountered were the same group that killed Labustro.

LZB