Religious leader stabbed to death by NPA rebels

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A former policeman who founded a religious group was believed killed by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels on Monday, authorities said Tuesday.

Stabbed to death was Francisco Baguiz, a retired police officer and founder of Apocalypse International Ministry, Inc. (AIM, Inc.) based in Sitio Sioan in Barangay Malinao in Gingoog City.

Police said Baguiz was driving his car when he was flagged down by armed men wearing Army uniforms in Sitio Kibalikin in Malinao.

SPO4 Teddy Macarayo of the Gingoog police said Baguiz got out of the vehicle and must have thought that it was soldiers who flagged him down.

Macarayo said Baguiz was handcuffed and brought by the armed men to a secluded area where he was stabbed four times. He did not reach the hospital alive.

Witnesses identified the suspects as NPA rebels, police added.

The NPA has not issued a statement on Baguiz’s killing yet. JE

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