Militiaman killed as NPA rebels attack Zamboanga Sibugay village

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—New People’s Army rebels stormed Barangay Palintana in Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay, early Saturday and killed a militiaman, the authorities said.

Senior Superintendent Ruben Cariaga, Zamboanga Sibugay police chief, said some 200 NPA rebels belonging to the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee arrived at the village and immediately raided the homes of village officials and militiamen.

“They raided and ransacked first the houses of barangay captain (Geronimo) Dango and former barangay captain (Florencio) Genese and carted away several items, including uniforms for village militias,” Cariaga said.

The rebels then went to the house of a soldier and took a medicine box and other belongings.

Cariaga said that from another house, the rebels seized three .45-caliber pistols, a cellular phone and more uniforms for village militiamen.

Before fleeing, the rebels took militiaman Felix Obordo as hostage. His body was later found with nine stab wounds, Cariaga said.

Brig. Gen. Santiago Baluyot, commander of the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade, said the rebels left Obordo’s body near a creek, some 400 meters away from the village center.

Baluyot said the raid was in retaliation for a recent military victory against communist rebels in the province.

“Upon entering the barangay, they immediately looked for the Cafgus (Citizens Armed Force Geographical Unit) who guided our troops during a recent operation that led to the fall of an NPA camp,” he said.