NPA rebels kill tribal leader in Davao Norte

DAVAO CITY—Suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels shot and killed a tribal chieftain in a hinterland community in Kapalong town in Davao del Norte on Sunday for allegedly refusing to give in to their extortion demands, the military reported on Tuesday.

Datu Benandao Maogan died after being fired at by suspected NPA gunmen outside his home in Sitio (Sub-village) Luno-luno in Barangay (Village) Gupitan past 1 p.m., according to Lieutenant Amadeus Celestial, civil-military officer of the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion.

Celestial said the 50-year-old leader of the Ata-Manobo tribe was walking near his house when about 15 rebels under the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 34 blocked his way.

He was killed by the rebels using assault rifles, Celestial said.

The assailants, who fled after the incident, were allegedly led by Tata Catarata, the son of Front 34 leader Maximo Catarata.

“According to witnesses, the NPAs executed the chieftain because he refused to pay up extortion money to be used to buy supplies (for the rebels) in Kapalong town proper,” Celestial told the Inquirer by text message.