New People’s Army rebels in Mindanao. FILE PHOTO BY DENNIS JAY SANTOS / INQUIRER MINDANAO
ROME — Pursuing its commitment to help in eradicating illegal drugs in the country, the New People’s Army claimed it executed a suspected drug trader in Davao City on Monday.
Rigoberto Sanchez, the spokesperson of the New People’s Army-Southern Mindanao, said in a statement that guerrillas from the 1st Pulang Bagani Battalion “meted out the death penalty” to 37-year-old Neptali Alfredo Pondoc in his “farm-turned-drug den” in Taboan in Barangay Malabog in Paquibato District.
“Neptali operates one of the drug syndicates that trade shabu from Diwalwal in Monkayo, Compostela Valley to Panabo City, Paquibato and Calinan in Davao City,” Sanchez said.
Authorities had not confirmed the killing of Pondoc as of yet.
Sanchez hinted that Pondoc was also involved in selling drugs to people in the government including government militias.
In a rare event, the NPA admitted that the operation against Neptali was in response to a standing arrest warrant that a court issued against the alleged drug suspect.
“Pondoc has a warrant of arrest from the GRP reactionary police in Calinan. Red fighters also confiscated various drug paraphernalia such as weighing scales and other equipment found in his farm,” Sanchez said. SFM