NPA owns up what police say was brutal killing of 4 cops

BACOLOD CITY—Communist guerrillas owned up to the killing of four police officers in the town of Ayungon in Negros Oriental province last week.

Dionesia Magbuelas, spokesperson of New People’s Army’s (NPA) Mt. Cansermon Command, said the four officers were killed for acting as spies to implement police operations that had led to civilian deaths in Negros Oriental.

In a statement, Magbuelas said the four policemen—Cpl. Relebert Beronio and patrolmen Raffy Callo, Roel Cabellion and Marquina de Leon—had also harassed farmers.

Col. Raul Tacaca, Negros Oriental provincial police director, said police have filed multiple murder and theft charges against Victoriano Anadon and five suspected NPA members at the Negros Oriental provincial prosecutor’s office for the killing of the four officers.

Police said Anadon tied the policemen with nylon cords before executing them. The four were brought to the house of Anadon where they were killed, according to police.

Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas, Central Visayas police chief, said the officers were captured and summarily executed by rebels.

Each of the officer, he said, were shot in the head. One had a slashed throat.

Handguns issued to the officers had been taken by rebels.

President Rodrigo Duterte has offered a P1 million reward for the capture of those behind the killings.

The four were honored on Saturday (July 20) with Duterte conferring on them the Order of Lapu-Lapu with the Rank of Kalasag./TSB